Abstract:
Provided herein are compositions and methods related to the direct conversion of the starch in a ground or fractionated grain into a fermentable sugar feedstock capable of serving as a carbon source for the industrial production of one or more products by a fermenting organism, such as isoprene, isoprenoid precursor molecules, and/or isoprenoids. Such conversions may be performed at temperatures at or below the initial gelatinization temperature of the starch present in the grain and may utilize one or more isolatable endogenous enzymes present in certain unrefined grains.
Abstract:
Fungal glucoamylases from Aspergillus fumigatus—expressed in Trichoderma reesei host cells (AfGATR) are provided. Trichoderma reesei host cells express AfGATRs at higher, or at least comparable, levels to natively expressed AfGA Aspergillus fumigatus. AfGATRs, including AfGA1TR and AfGA2TR, exhibit high activity at elevated temperatures and at low pH, so AfGATRs can be used efficiently in a process of saccharification in the presence of alpha-amylase, such as Aspergillus kawachii alpha-amylase (AkAA). AfGATRs advantageously catalyze starch saccharification to an oligosaccharide composition significantly enriched in DP1 (i.e., glucose) compared to the products of saccharification catalyzed by Aspergillus niger glucoamylase (AnGA) or native AfGA expressed in Aspergillus fumigatus. AfGATRs such as AfGA1TR, AfGA2TR or a variant thereof can be used at a lower dosage than AnGA and natively expressed AfGAs to produce comparable levels of glucose.
Abstract:
Fungal glucoamylases from Aspergillus fumigatus that are expressed in Trichoderma reesei host cells (AfGATR) are provided. AfGATRs, including AfGA1TR and AfGA2TR, exhibit high activity at elevated temperatures and at low pH, so AfGATRs can be used efficiently in a simultaneous liquefaction and saccharification process in the presence of alpha amylase, such as Aspergillus kawachii alpha-amylase (AkAA). This greatly reduces the combined run time of liquefaction and saccharification reaction, where the pH and temperature must be readjusted for optimal use of the alpha-amylase or glucoamylase.
Abstract:
The present teachings provide methods of processing granular starch in slurries containing high dry solids content. The slurries are initially incubated with enzymes at or below the gelatinization temperature. The use of pullulanase and glucoamylase at specified doses allows for improved glucose yields at lower energy cost.
Abstract:
Fungal glucoamylases from Aspergillus fumigatus—expressed in Trichoderma reesei host cells (AfGATR) are provided. Trichoderma reesei host cells express AfGATRs at higher, or at least comparable, levels to natively expressed AfGA Aspergillus fumigatus. AfGATRs, including AfGA1TR and AfGA2TR, exhibit high activity at elevated temperatures and at low pH, so AfGATRs can be used efficiently in a process of saccharification in the presence of alpha-amylase, such as Aspergillus kawachii alpha-amylase (AkAA). AfGATRs advantageously catalyze starch saccharification to an oligosaccharide composition significantly enriched in DP1 (i.e., glucose) compared to the products of saccharification catalyzed by Aspergillus niger glucoamylase (AnGA) or native AfGA expressed in Aspergillus fumigatus. AfGATRs such as AfGA1TR, AfGA2TR or a variant thereof can be used at a lower dosage than AnGA and natively expressed AfGAs to produce comparable levels of glucose.
Abstract:
The present teachings provide a method for making a high glucose syrup at a low temperature. In some embodiments, the syrup contains reduced reversion reaction products. The method comprises contacting a starch substrate at a temperature below the starch gelatinization temperature with an enzyme blend comprising a high dose of alpha-amylase and a low dose of glucoamylase. In some embodiments, a blend of two glucoamylases is employed. In some embodiments, a debranching enzyme such as a pullulanase is employed. In some embodiments, the enzymes are staged by adding at different times, or at different temperatures. The present teachings provide for high glucose syrups with fewer reversion products, and allow for higher starch solubilization.
Abstract:
Provided herein are compositions and methods related to the direct conversion of the starch in a ground or fractionated grain into a fermentable sugar feedstock capable of serving as a carbon source for the industrial production of one or more products by a fermenting organism. Such conversions may be performed at temperatures at or below the initial gelatinization temperature of the starch present in the grain and may utilize one or more isolatable endogenous enzymes present in certain unrefined grains.
Abstract:
The present teachings provide direct conversion of granular starch into a soluble sugar composition comprising a high, very high, and/or ultra high maltose content. The method involves contacting an aqueous slurry of granular starch with an enzyme composition comprising an appropriate ratio of an alpha-amylase and a maltogenic enzyme to produce a soluble starch substrate that is enzymatically converted to a sugar composition containing higher maltose. The process may use more than one temperature to achieve the same.
Abstract:
Variants of a Pseudomonas saccharophila G4-forming amylase (PS4) advantageously can catalyze high temperature saccharification to produce maltotetraose syrup from a starch liquefact or granular starch, e.g., derived from cornstarch. The PS4 variants are useful in a process of saccharification of starch that advantageously produces significant amounts of maltotetraose, which can be used downstream in a process of producing a maltotetraose syrup. In one embodiment, a thermostable PS4 variant is provided that can produce about 40% to about 60% by weight maltotetraose, based on total saccharide content.
Abstract:
Fungal glucoamylases from Aspergillus fumigatus—expressed in Trichoderma reesei host cells (AfGATR) are provided. Trichoderma reesei host cells express AfGATRs at higher, or at least comparable, levels to natively expressed AfGA Aspergillus fumigatus. AfGATRs, including AfGA1TR and AfGA2TR, exhibit high activity at elevated temperatures and at low pH, so AfGATRs can be used efficiently in a process of saccharification in the presence of alpha-amylase, such as Aspergillus kawachii alpha-amylase (AkAA). AfGATRs advantageously catalyze starch saccharification to an oligosaccharide composition significantly enriched in DP1 (i.e., glucose) compared to the products of saccharification catalyzed by Aspergillus niger glucoamylase (AnGA) or native AfGA expressed in Aspergillus fumigatus. AfGATRs such as AfGA1TR, AfGA2TR or a variant thereof can be used at a lower dosage than AnGA and natively expressed AfGAs to produce comparable levels of glucose.