“Extremophile” Sparks Research into “Extreme Enzymes” for Biofuel Processing of Lignocellulosic Biomass

“Extremophiles” is a term given to microorganisms that can grow and thrive in extreme environments, not normally survivable by other microorganisms.  For example, extremophiles have been isolated in hot and acidic terrestrial volcanic springs.  Interest in extremophiles stems from the idea that they may possess novel enzymes which can function under extreme conditions of temperature and pH.  This property can be harnessed for many useful applications, as many of the commercially available enzymes are limited in function within a very narrow range of temperature and pH. 

Realizing the potential of these “extreme enzymes” for the bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass into ethanol, scientists from Sandia National Laboratories in the United States are looking into a microorganism called Sulfolobus solfataricus.  This microorganism has been found to express cellulase enzymes which can function in sulfuric acid environments.  Cellulases are enzymes which break down cellulosic biomass into sugars for fermentative conversion to ethanol. Using molecular biology, enzyme engineering and computational techniques, Sandia scientists are studying the genetic sequences encoding these “extreme-cellulases”.  The aim is to develop a cost-effective and efficient process for the breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass for ethanol production.  Lignocellulosic degradation to sugars for subsequent ethanol fermentation is considered one of the bottlenecks for cellulose ethanol production.

Related Link:
Microbiology and Biochemistry of Sulfolobus bacteria from Microbe Wiki
http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Sulfolobus