Emerging Strategies for Modifying Lignin Chemistry to Enhance Biological Lignin Valorization

Zhi Min Zhao; Zhi Hua Liu; Yunqiao Pu; Xianzhi Meng; Jifei Xu; Joshua S. Yuan; Arthur J. Ragauskas

doi:10.1002/cssc.202001401

Emerging Strategies for Modifying Lignin Chemistry to Enhance Biological Lignin Valorization

Zhi Min Zhao
, Zhi Hua Liu
, Yunqiao Pu
, Xianzhi Meng
, Jifei Xu
, Joshua S. Yuan
, Arthur J. Ragauskas

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Biological lignin valorization represents a promising approach contributing to sustainable and economic biorefineries. The low level of valuable lignin-derived products remains a major challenge hindering the implementation of microbial lignin conversion. Lignin's properties play a significant role in determining the efficiency of lignin bioconversion. To date, despite significant progress in the development of biomass pretreatment, lignin fractionation, and fermentation over the last few decades, little efforts have gone into identifying the ideal lignin substrates for an efficient microbial metabolism. In this Minireview, emerging and state-of-the-art strategies for biomass pretreatment and lignin fractionation are summarized to elaborate their roles in modifying lignin structure for bioconversion. Fermentation strategies aimed at enhancing lignin depolymerization for microbial utilization are systematically reviewed as well. With an improved understanding of the ideal lignin structure elucidated by comprehensive metabolic pathways and/or big data analysis, modifying lignin chemistry could be more directional and effective. Ultimately, together with the progress of fermentation process optimization, biological lignin valorization will become more competitive in biorefineries.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5423-5432
Number of pages	10
Journal	ChemSusChem
Volume	13
Issue number	20
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202001401
State	Published - Oct 21 2020

Funding

The authors thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21706136), the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia (2019MS02026), and the China Scholarship Council for support. This work was partially (A.J.R. and Y.P.) supported by the Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), which is a US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Research Center supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research in the DOE Office of Science. The manuscript was authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US DOE. This work was also partially (J.Y.) financially supported by the U.S. DOE, EERE (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), and BETO (Bioenergy Technology Office; grant nos. DE-EE0006112, DE-EE0007104, DE-EE0008250).The US Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of the manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US Government purposes. The DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the US Government or any agency thereof. Neither the US Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. The authors thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21706136), the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia (2019MS02026), and the China Scholarship Council for support. This work was partially (A.J.R. and Y.P.) supported by the Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), which is a US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Research Center supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research in the DOE Office of Science. The manuscript was authored by UT‐Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE‐AC05‐00OR22725 with the US DOE. This work was also partially (J.Y.) financially supported by the U.S. DOE, EERE (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), and BETO (Bioenergy Technology Office; grant nos. DE‐EE0006112, DE‐EE0007104, DE‐EE0008250).The US Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US Government retains a nonexclusive, paid‐up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of the manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US Government purposes. The DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe‐public‐access‐plan). The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the US Government or any agency thereof. Neither the US Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.

Keywords

biocatalysis
biomass valorization
fermentation
lignin
structure elucidation

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10.1002/cssc.202001401

Cite this

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title = "Emerging Strategies for Modifying Lignin Chemistry to Enhance Biological Lignin Valorization",

abstract = "Biological lignin valorization represents a promising approach contributing to sustainable and economic biorefineries. The low level of valuable lignin-derived products remains a major challenge hindering the implementation of microbial lignin conversion. Lignin's properties play a significant role in determining the efficiency of lignin bioconversion. To date, despite significant progress in the development of biomass pretreatment, lignin fractionation, and fermentation over the last few decades, little efforts have gone into identifying the ideal lignin substrates for an efficient microbial metabolism. In this Minireview, emerging and state-of-the-art strategies for biomass pretreatment and lignin fractionation are summarized to elaborate their roles in modifying lignin structure for bioconversion. Fermentation strategies aimed at enhancing lignin depolymerization for microbial utilization are systematically reviewed as well. With an improved understanding of the ideal lignin structure elucidated by comprehensive metabolic pathways and/or big data analysis, modifying lignin chemistry could be more directional and effective. Ultimately, together with the progress of fermentation process optimization, biological lignin valorization will become more competitive in biorefineries.",

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doi = "10.1002/cssc.202001401",

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AU - Zhao, Zhi Min

AU - Liu, Zhi Hua

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AU - Yuan, Joshua S.

AU - Ragauskas, Arthur J.

PY - 2020/10/21

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N2 - Biological lignin valorization represents a promising approach contributing to sustainable and economic biorefineries. The low level of valuable lignin-derived products remains a major challenge hindering the implementation of microbial lignin conversion. Lignin's properties play a significant role in determining the efficiency of lignin bioconversion. To date, despite significant progress in the development of biomass pretreatment, lignin fractionation, and fermentation over the last few decades, little efforts have gone into identifying the ideal lignin substrates for an efficient microbial metabolism. In this Minireview, emerging and state-of-the-art strategies for biomass pretreatment and lignin fractionation are summarized to elaborate their roles in modifying lignin structure for bioconversion. Fermentation strategies aimed at enhancing lignin depolymerization for microbial utilization are systematically reviewed as well. With an improved understanding of the ideal lignin structure elucidated by comprehensive metabolic pathways and/or big data analysis, modifying lignin chemistry could be more directional and effective. Ultimately, together with the progress of fermentation process optimization, biological lignin valorization will become more competitive in biorefineries.

AB - Biological lignin valorization represents a promising approach contributing to sustainable and economic biorefineries. The low level of valuable lignin-derived products remains a major challenge hindering the implementation of microbial lignin conversion. Lignin's properties play a significant role in determining the efficiency of lignin bioconversion. To date, despite significant progress in the development of biomass pretreatment, lignin fractionation, and fermentation over the last few decades, little efforts have gone into identifying the ideal lignin substrates for an efficient microbial metabolism. In this Minireview, emerging and state-of-the-art strategies for biomass pretreatment and lignin fractionation are summarized to elaborate their roles in modifying lignin structure for bioconversion. Fermentation strategies aimed at enhancing lignin depolymerization for microbial utilization are systematically reviewed as well. With an improved understanding of the ideal lignin structure elucidated by comprehensive metabolic pathways and/or big data analysis, modifying lignin chemistry could be more directional and effective. Ultimately, together with the progress of fermentation process optimization, biological lignin valorization will become more competitive in biorefineries.

KW - biocatalysis

KW - biomass valorization

KW - fermentation

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KW - structure elucidation

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85089884219

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DO - 10.1002/cssc.202001401

M3 - Review article

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ER -

Emerging Strategies for Modifying Lignin Chemistry to Enhance Biological Lignin Valorization

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Keywords

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