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Fungal Pretreatment of Corn Stover by Fomes sp. EUM1: Simultaneous Production of Readily Hydrolysable Biomass and Useful Biocatalysts

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Abstract

Purpose

In this work we studied two approaches for the revalorization of corn stover (CS): Feedstock for bioethanol generation and substrate for the production of biocatalysts. The practical application of two of these biocatalysts (laccases and cellulases) was also evaluated.

Methods

The hydrolysis of CS was improved through a pretreatment with the thermotolerant fungus Fomes sp. EUM1; simultaneously, enzymatic extracts enriched with laccases or cellulases were obtained and applied for the pretreatment or hydrolysis of untreated CS.

Results

After 7 days, the fungal pretreatment promoted a significant increase in the release of reducing sugars (60%) and in the hydrolysis rate (50%). Lignin content decreased 61.2%, while holocellulose remained practically unchanged; a significant positive correlation (r = 0.948, p = 0.01) was found between laccase production and lignin degradation. Regarding biocatalysts application, the cellulases of Fomes sp. EUM1 showed catalytic properties similar to those of commercial enzymes; in addition, the pretreatment with laccases reduced 70% the processing-time (compared to the fungal treatment), and improved the release of reducing sugars and the hydrolysis rate by 26 and 29%, respectively.

Conclusion

The pretreatment of CS with Fomes sp. EUM1 produces two valuable products: saccharificable biomass useful for bioethanol production and highly active enzymes applicable in bioconversion processes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Tecnológico Nacional de México (DGO-PYR-2015-072). Méndez-Hernández JE (Reg. No. 268164) thanks Mexican Nacional Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT) for the scholarship. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Instituto Tecnológico de Durango, 34080, Durango, Mexico

    Jazmín Edith Méndez-Hernández & Nicolás Óscar Soto-Cruz

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa, 09340, Mexico City, Mexico

    Octavio Loera

  3. Institute of Scientific Research, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, 34000, Durango, Mexico

    Edna Madai Méndez-Hernández

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, 34000, Durango, Mexico

    Esperanza Herrera

  5. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, 43600, Hidalgo, Mexico

    Oscar Arce-Cervantes

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  1. Jazmín Edith Méndez-Hernández
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  2. Octavio Loera
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Correspondence to Nicolás Óscar Soto-Cruz.

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Méndez-Hernández, J.E., Loera, O., Méndez-Hernández, E.M. et al. Fungal Pretreatment of Corn Stover by Fomes sp. EUM1: Simultaneous Production of Readily Hydrolysable Biomass and Useful Biocatalysts. Waste Biomass Valor 10, 2637–2650 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0290-1

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