Impact of inhibitors associated with lignocellulosic hydrolysates on recombinant cellulolytic enzymes

Date
2017-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Enzymatic hydrolysis contributes a significant cost towards the production of bioethanol and is estimated to comprise 15% of the minimum ethanol selling price. One of the areas of concern during the enzymatic hydrolysis is the non-productive adsorption of enzymes by pretreatment by-products that may lead to the inhibition/deactivation of cellulases. Nonproductive adsorption of cellulases onto lignin is mainly driven by hydrophobic interactions and the extent of adsorption varies depending on the hydrophobicity of the lignin. Most fungal cellulases are bimodular with a catalytic domain and a carbohydrate binding domain (CBM) connected by a flexible linker. To achieve high yields of fermentable sugars for subsequent conversion to ethanol, it is desirable to include sugars from both cellulosic- and hemicelluloserich fractions, which implies the presence of inhibitory degradation compounds during enzymatic hydrolysis. To reduce the enzyme loading for hydrolysis, the inhibitor compounds in lignocellulosic biomass should be reduced to below toxic levels or be removed from hydrolysates. The first aim of the study was to investigate the role of individual lignocellulose-associated compounds in the inhibition and/or deactivation of the Talaromyces emersonii cellobiohydrolase (TeCel7A) fused to the Trichoderma reesei carbohydrate binding domain (TrCBM), Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase TrCel5A and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera β- glucosidase (SfCel3A) cellulases. The second aim was to explore detoxification strategies in the alleviation of the cellulose inhibition. The final aim was to investigate the mechanism(s) involved in the inhibition of cellulases. The impact of selected inhibitor compounds on the hydrolysis of Avicel was also investigated using a combination of TeCel7A-TrCBM and TrCel5A in the presence of Novozyme 188 Cel3A to prevent feedback inhibition by cellobiose. The study revealed that polymeric phenols, such as tannic acid, are strong inhibitors of cellulases, whereas monomeric phenols with aldehyde groups showed a strong inhibition of cellulose with increased contact time. This further confirmed that compounds with increased surface hydrophobicity have a strong inhibition effect. TrCel7A was shown to be quite resistant to inhibition and only hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) strongly inhibited this cellobiohydrolase. This selective inhibition of retaining cellulases (TrCel7A), but not inverting cellulases (TrCel5A), was also observed with acetic and formic acid. This suggests that the non-processive nature and groove-shaped active site of TrCel5A allows it to escape non-productive binding to inhibitor compounds through the same mechanism it employs during cellulose hydrolysis. Further investigation revealed that increasing inhibition was not linked to contact time, but rather ascribed to increased concentration of inhibitor compounds. Detoxification strategies were explored as enhancers of enzymatic hydrolysis and tools to alleviate inhibition in biomass conversion processes. The results indicated that reducing agents (sodium dithionite and sodium sulfite) strongly reacted with coniferyl aldehyde and syringaldehyde, but not tannic acid. The addition of reducing agents substantially increased the hydrolysis of Avicel containing 10% bagasse pretreatment liquid. Application of the differential scanning fluorimeter (DSF) technique showed that increased concentrations of furans and acetic acid sharply increased unfolding of TeCel7A. This study showed that DSF could be developed as a tool to study cellulase binding, but this will depend on the development of dyes not based on hydrophobic interactions.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ensiematiese hidrolise dra 'n aansienlike koste tot die produksie van bio-etanol by en verteenwoordig na raming 15% van die minimum etanolverkoopprys. Een kwelpunt tydens ensiematiese hidroliese is die nie-produktiewe adsorpsie van ensieme aan neweprodukte van die voorafbehandeling wat tot die onderdrukking/deaktivering van sellulases kan lei. Nieproduktiewe adsorpsie van sellulases aan lignien word hoofsaaklik deur hidrofobiese interaksies gedryf en die omvang van adsorpsie wissel na gelang van die hidrofobisiteit van die lignien. Die meeste swam-sellulases is bimodulêr met 'n katalitiese domein en 'n koolhidraatbindende domein (CBM) wat deur 'n buigsame skakel verbind is. Ten einde 'n hoë opbrengs van fermenteerbare suikers vir daaropvolgende omskakeling na etanol te verseker, is dit wenslik om suikers van beide sellulose- en hemisellulose-ryke fraksies in te sluit, wat die teenwoordigheid van inhiberende afbraakprodukte tydens die ensiematiese hidroliese impliseer. Om die ensiemlading vir hidroliese te verlaag, moet die inhiberende verbindings in sellulose-biomassa tot onder toksiese vlakke verlaag of uit die hidrolisaat verwyder word. Die eerste doel van die studie was om die rol van individuele lignosellulose-geassosieerde verbindings in die onderdrukking en/of deaktivering van die Talaromyces emersonii sellobiohidrolase (TeCel7A) gekoppel aan die Trichoderma reesei koolhidraatbindende domein (TrCBM), Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase (TrCel5A) en Saccharomycopsis fibuligera β-glukosidase (SfCel3A) sellulases te ondersoek. Die tweede doel was om ontgiftingstrategieë vir die verligting van sellulase-inhibisie te verken. Die finale doel was om die meganisme(s) betrokke by die inhibisie van sellulases te ondersoek. Die impak van geselekteerde inhibeerderverbindings op die hidroliese van Avicel is ook met behulp van 'n kombinasie van TeCel7A-TrCBM en TrCel5A in die teenwoordigheid van Novozyme 188 Cel3A ondersoek om terugvoeronderdrukking deur sellobiose te voorkom. Die studie het getoon dat polimeriese fenole, soos looisuur, sterk inhibeerders van sellulases is, terwyl monomeriese fenole met aldehiedgroepe 'n sterk onderdrukking met verlengde kontaktyd met sellulases getoon het. Dit bevestig verder dat verbindings met 'n verhoogde oppervlakhidrofobisiteit 'n sterk onderdrukkingseffek het. TrCel7A was redelik bestand teen onderdrukking en slegs hidroksielmetielfurfuraal (HMF) het hierdie sellobiohidrolase sterk onderdruk. Die selektiewe onderdrukking van behoudende sellulases (TrCel7A), maar nie omkerende sellulases (TrCel5A) nie, is ook met asynsuur en mieresuur waargeneem. Dit dui daarop dat die nie-prosessiewe aard en groefvormige aktiewe setel van TrCel5A die ensiem toelaat om nie-produktiewe binding aan inhibeerderverbindings te ontsnap deur dieselfde meganisme wat tydens sellulose-hidroliese gebruik word. Verdere ondersoek het getoon dat verhoogde onderdrukking nie weens kontaktyd was nie, maar eerder die gevolg van verhoogde konsentrasie van inhibeerderverbindings. Ontgiftingstrategieë is ondersoek as versterkers van ensiematiese hidroliese en gereedskap om onderdrukking in biomassa-omskakelingprosesse te verlig. Die resultate het getoon dat reduseermiddels (natriumditioniet en natriumsulfiet) sterk met konifeeraldehied en seringaldehied gereageer het, maar nie met looisuur nie. Die byvoeging van reduseermiddels het die hidroliese van Avicel met 10% bagasse behandelingsvloeistof aansienlik verhoog. Toepassing van die differensiële skandeerfluorimeter (DSF) tegniek het aangedui dat verhoogde konsentrasies van furaan en asynsuur die ontvouiing van TeCel7A skerp verhoog het. Hierdie studie het getoon dat DSF as instrument ontwikkel kan word om sellulasebinding te bestudeer, maar dit is onderworpe aan die ontwikkeling van kleurstowwe wat nie op hidrofobiese interaksies gebaseer is nie.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Lignocellulose-associated compounds, Cellulose inhibition -- Detoxification, Cellulolytic enzymes, Cellulase -- Biotechnology, UCTD
Citation