PROCESSING BIOMASS

• US 20140011258A1
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: MEDOFF, Marshall, MASTERMAN, Thomas Craig, YOSHIDA, Aiichiro, MOON YEE FUNG, Jennifer, LYNCH, James J.
• Application Number:
  US14/016,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20140011258A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/209
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2434 acting on beta-1,4-glucosidic bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2437 Cellulases (3.2.1.4; 3.2.1.74; 3.2.1.91; 3.2.1.150)
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/04 Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/12 Disaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/02 acyclic C12P5/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/023 Methane
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/16 Butanols
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/24 containing a carbonyl group
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/28 Acetone-containing products
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/40 containing a carboxyl group including Peroxycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/42 Hydroxy-carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/46 Dicarboxylic acids having four or less carbon atoms, e.g. fumaric acid, maleic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/48 Tricarboxylic acids, e.g. citric acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/52 Propionic acid; Butyric acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/56 Lactic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/62 : Carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C12Y 302/01004 : Cellulase (3.2.1.4), i.e. endo-1,4-beta-glucanase
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

Provided are methods of inducing enzymes, and for treating cellulosic and lignocellulosic biomass with the enzyme.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

combining a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass, which has been treated to reduce its recalcitrance, with a microorganism, and inducing the production of one or more enzymes by the microorganism by maintaining the microorganism-biomass combination under conditions that allow for the production of the enzyme(s) by the microorganism.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining a second cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass with the microorganism-biomass combination.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second biomass is lignocellulosic.

4. The method of claim 2, where the first or second or both first and second biomass has been treated to reduce its recalcitrance by a treatment method selected from the group consisting of:

bombardment with electrons, sonication, oxidation, pyrolysis, steam explosion, chemical treatment, mechanical treatment, freeze grinding.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the treatment method is bombardment with electrons.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising mechanically treating the first cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass to reduce its bulk density and/or increase its surface area.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the first or second or both first and second cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass is comminuted before being combined with the microorganism.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the comminution comprises dry milling.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the comminution comprises wet milling.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the first or second or both first and second cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass has a particle size of about 30 to 1400 μ

m.

11. The method claim 2, wherein the first or second or both first and second biomass is a lignocellulosic biomass selected from the group consisting of wood, grasses, and agricultural residues.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the first or second or both first and second cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass is selected from the group consisting of:

paper, paper products, paper waste, paper pulp, pigmented papers, loaded papers, coated papers, filled papers, magazines, printed matter, printer paper, polycoated paper, card stock, cardboard, paperboard, cotton, wood, particle board, forestry wastes, sawdust, aspen wood, wood chips, grasses, switchgrass, miscanthus, cord grass, reed canary grass, grain residues, rice hulls, oat hulls, wheat chaff, barley hulls, agricultural waste, silage, canola straw, wheat straw, barley straw, oat straw, rice straw, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, corn cobs, corn stover, soybean stover, corn fiber, alfalfa, hay, coconut hair, sugar processing residues, bagasse, beet pulp, agave bagasse, algae, seaweed, manure, sewage, offal, agricultural or industrial waste, arracacha, buckwheat, banana, barley, cassava, kudzu, oca, sago, sorghum, potato, sweet potato, taro, yams, beans, favas, lentils, peas, and mixtures of any of these.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the first or second or both first and second cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass comprises a residue of a saccharification or fermentation process.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of a fungus, a bacterium, and a yeast.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is a strain that produces high levels of cellulase.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is genetically engineered.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the microorganism is a fungus.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of Trichoderma reesei, and Clostridium thermocellum.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the T. reesei strain is selected from the group consisting of:

RUT-NG14, PC3-7, QM9414 and/or RUT-C30.