Abstract:
Plant biomass, as an abundant renewable carbon source,
is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. However, the
enzymes most commonly used for depolymerization of
lignocellulosic biomass are expensive, and the development
of cost-effective alternative conversion technologies
would be desirable. One possible option is the
heterologous expression of genes encoding lignocellulose-
digesting enzymes in plant tissues. To overcome
simultaneously issues of toxicity and incompatibility
with high-temperature steam explosion processes, the
use of heterologous genes encoding hyperthermophilic
enzymes may be an attractive alternative. This approach
could reduce the need for exogenous enzyme additions
prior to fermentation, reducing the cost of the complete
processing operation. This review highlights recent
advances and future prospects for using hyperthermophilic
enzymes in the biofuels industry.
