Biotechnology for Biofuels blog

Biotechnology for Biofuels at 35th SBFC

Helen Whitaker — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:58:26 +0000

Biotechnology for Biofuels will be exhibiting at 35^th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals next week (29^th April – 1^st May). As a special conference of the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMB), this year’s symposium will be held in Portland, Oregon, hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The conference will span three and a half days, with technical topics covering feedstocks and conversion sciences, process development and biorefinery, as well as commercialization and sustainability. Our Associate Editor for Biotechnology for Biofuels, Jim McMillan, is one of the symposium organizers, whilst many of our Editorial Board Members have long associations with the symposium and will be in attendance. On Tuesday 30^th April, we will be holding a board meeting to review the journal’s development and discuss plans for the future. Biotechnology for Biofuels has made excellent progress in the last 12 months, reaching new heights with an Impact Factor of 6.09, and publishing in a wider range of topics, including two new special issues on plants and pretreatment.

If you are attending the Portland symposium, please don’t hesitate to stop by the BioMed Central stand, and chat to the Journal Development Editor for Biotechnology for Biofuels, Helen Whitaker. We would like to thank Chris Lowe and Thomas Jeffries (SIMB) for their help in organizing and making us feel welcome at the meeting.

Cell wall degrading enzymes in a new class of their own

Helen Whitaker — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:33:20 +0000

Carbohydrate active enzymes are typically found in fungi including white rot, brown rot and plant pathogenic fungi. These micro-organisms degrade the complex matrix of the plant cell wall containing lignin, hemicelluloses, cellulose, polysacchariades and pectin. Since 1998, the CAZy database has carefully curated data on five families of carbohydrate active enzymes: glycoside hydrolases (GH), glycosyltransferases (GT), polysaccharide lyases (PL), carbohydrate esterases (CE), and carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM).

The recent discovery that some members of the CBM and GH enzyme families share a mode of action, as lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMO), has led the curators of CAZy to make a major update to the database. In their publication in Biotechnology for Biofuels, Levasseur and colleagues also note that enzymes need to act in synergy, in order to break down the interlinked components of the plant cell wall. With this in mind, they have created a new category of enzymes with auxiliary activities (AAs) to encompass the LPMOs, together with families of redox lignin degradation enzymes that are thought to act in concert.

The auxiliary enzymes are classified into 10 families, based on protein sequence similarity and having the function of “helper enzymes” that improve the access of the other classes of enzymes to degrade plant cell wall components. Biochemical and 3D structural information for enzyme families is inferred from the literature, with each family having at least one biochemically-characterized founding member.

A comparative genomic analysis of enzyme repertoires was also made, from 1576 AA enzymes that could be identified across 41 fungal genomes. Notably, a low number of AAs are found in Trichoderma reesi, the fungus that is widely used in industry to produce enzymes for carbohydrate conversion. Bacterial degradation enzymes are less well explored than those of fungi and the authors propose that the lignin degrading bacteria found in the gut flora of ruminants and in soil will be an avenue for future research.

Sustainable Chemical Processes – a new journal from Chemistry Central

Bailey Fallon — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:32:32 +0000

Sustainable Chemical Processes, a new open access journal published by Chemistry Central, sister publisher of BioMed Central, is now accepting submissions.

The journal has a broad scope, covering all scientific and engineering aspects of sustainable approaches in chemistry. This includes, but is not limited to, green routes to isolation, purification and synthesis of compounds; all aspects of catalysis and biocatalysis that lead to sustainable processes; approaches to reduce water consumption in chemical processes; and aspects of nanotechnology.

Some topics will be of particular interest to readers of Biotechnology for Biofuels such as biomass conversion and use of renewable resources, including valorization of agricultural and industrial waste. The journal will also publish research into biofuels and biorefineries, as well as other alternative sources of energy (such as hydrogen generation and storage, solar cells, fuel cells and photovoltaic cells).

Editor-in-Chief Munishwar Gupta from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi hopes that the journal will catalyze cross-fertilization of ideas from disciplines that are different, yet united with a common theme of sustainability. “Open access is about removing the barriers among scientists” he explains, adding that promoting interaction between scientists from developing and developed nations will be a key theme of the journal. “This is a journal that does not classify sustainable chemistry as a new exclusive club, but one which welcomes any fresh ideas and innovations from anybody, anywhere”.

Sustainable Chemical Processes will publish its first articles later this year. Manuscripts can be submitted via the online submission system, or for more information contact the editorial team at editorial@sustainablechemicalprocesses.com.

Special issue on pretreatment and fractionation of biomass for biofuels/biorefining

Helen Whitaker — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:39:24 +0000

Biotechnology for Biofuels is pleased to announce a special issue from the NSERC Bioconversion Network – a collaboration of academic and industry leaders, aimed at developing bio-based chemical and fuel products from forest biomass.

Edited by Jack Saddler and Linoj Kumar, the special issue brings together findings from a recent workshop, focusing on the pretreatment and fractionation of biomass for biofuels and biorefining. In an introductory Editorial, our guest editors provide an interesting report on the workshop, that covered discussion topics from fundamental science to challenges in commercialisation.

A major aim of the network is to exploit the production of high value chemical products, as well as bulk fuels from lignocellulosic biomass, so that bioproducts can more effectively replace all fractions of crude oil. For example, lignin derivatives can be used to replace petroleum-derived polyol in the production of polyeurythane foam. The range of chemicals that can be produced from lignin includes green building materials, resins and nylons, as reviewed by Patanjali Varanasi and colleagues at Berkeley Lab.

Creating diverse carbon compounds from wood is no small chemistry challenge. In a highlight to the series, Leif Jonsson and colleagues explore ways to remove the toxic substances produced during a typical acidic thermochemical pretreatment step, that act to inhibit downsteam enzyme and microbial conversions.

Many thanks to all contributors to this special issue and to the editors, Jack Saddler and Linoj Kumar. Further submissions to the special issue, that are still under consideration, may be added to the homepage as soon as they become ready to publish.

Algal biofuels? Think bigger

Helen Whitaker — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:11:50 +0000

The production of biodiesel from single-celled microalgae has been receiving renewed research attention, as evidenced by a growth spurt in publications on microalgal biofuel this year. Meanwhile, Scottish researchers working on the Biomara project argue that coastal temperate regions should make fuel from macroalgae (seaweed) instead.

In a recent article published in Biotechnology for Biofuels, Adam Hughes and colleagues review the technological advances and requirements for cultivation of seaweed, for anaerobic conversion into biogas, principally methane. Seaweed culture techniques have been advancing in China in the last 50 years, to the point that seaweed grown for food and other high-value bio-products is now China’s biggest aquaculture business.

The main advantages of marine based seaweed cultivation for biofuel are lack of competition for arable land and zero requirement for freshwater. The idea is not without major caveats, since wild harvest or in-shore cultivation of seaweed on a large scale could easily destroy a coastal ecosystem. However, mass cultivation and selective breeding could be made feasible, using vertical rope growing systems, stationed offshore.

Pilot scale fuel production from seaweed is gaining global momentum and earlier this year, Austrian firm See Algae technology announced the first commercial scale seaweed plant in Brazil, to be completed in 2013. The Brazilian venture will explore ways to use macroalgal culture to mop up excess CO₂ from an existing biofuel plant, that is already producing ethanol from sugar cane.

Seeding the next generation of fuel crops

Helen Whitaker — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:32:08 +0000

Image credit: Matt Lavin

For biofuels to become more sustainable, lignocellulosic biomass from trees, grasses and plant stems is an appealing alternative to resource-heavy energy crops such as canola and maize. However, the high lignin content of second generation feedstocks makes them naturally recalcitrant to processing into fuel. While chemical engineers, microbiologists and enzymologists have made strides to overcome these issues, plant biologists are increasingly employed to create fuel crops that will profit the biofuel industry.

Biotechnology for Biofuels is pleased to announce a special thematic series focusing on the development of crops for enhanced fuel production. The series covers genetic improvement of plant biomass traits to increase bio-production and benefit downstream processes such as enzymatic conversion, fermentation, pyrolysis and gasification.

An undesirable trait of woody feedstocks is the abundance of xylan, that cross-links the cellulose fibres in the plant cell wall. Xylan is a polymer of xylose, a sugar that is difficult to ferment and also releases acetate, an inhibitor of fermentation enzymes. Plant biotechnologists have genetically engineered Arabidopsis to lack xylan, however this causes collapse of the xylem vessels, preventing transport of water and nutrients around the plant, resulting in stunted growth. In a highlight of the new series, Petersen et al. have shown how the deleterious effects of the irregular xylem (irx) mutation can be rescued to produce viable plants that retain the desired trait of reduced recalcitrance.

Our knowledge of plant genomes is a growing resource for the creation of new fuel crops and Feltus and Vandenbrink, review the state of genomics and systems biology approaches to identify traits for the improvement of grasses. In another article, Kelsey L Yee et al. study the effects of disrupting the lignin pathway in switchgrass, Panicum virgatum. By knocking out the caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, more sugar is made available for downstream bacterial conversion to fuel.

The technology to genetically characterize plants and manipulate them via transgenic and selective breeding approaches is well developed. What remains lacking is a shared knowledge of plant cell wall biochemistry and its interdependence with downstream processing into fuel. Biotechnology for Biofuels will continue to add new publications to this thematic series as they become ready to publish. If you would like to your work to be highlighted here, we have extended the submission deadline to 31 December 2012, so there is still time. Please see the website for more details.

Do you feel demonised?

Helen Whitaker — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:54:10 +0000

The formal EU proposal and 5% cap on land use for biofuel production was announced this week – closely followed by a backlash from the biofuels industry and environmental groups alike. Environmentalists are disappointed that the new legislation does not go far enough. The EU will require reporting on the indirect land use cost (iLUC) of biofuels production, however, the fuel producer will not be held accountable or penalised for iLUC. The proposal also fails to restrict the amount of first generation fuel that can be consumed. Meanwhile, the concern of the biofuels industry is that the swing in policy will derail investment and employment, encouraged under the 2009 directive.

Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Clare Wenner (head of renewable transport fuels at the Renewable Energy Association) makes a similar point to my previous blog – that one third of world food is wasted, and this issue is largely ignored in the food versus fuel debate. Clare also argues that the biofuels industry is unfairly demonised by commentators, who neglect other sectors that compete for agricultural land, such as the clothing industry.

The EU member for climate action, Connie Hedegaard said of the EU proposal:

“For biofuels to help us combat climate change, we must use truly sustainable biofuels. We must invest in biofuels that achieve real emission cuts and do not compete with food. We are of course not closing down first generation biofuels, but we are sending a clear signal that future increases in biofuels must come from advanced biofuels. Everything else will be unsustainable.”

Let’s hope, at least, that the compensatory political enthusiasm for second generation fuel is followed through.

EU blow to biodiesel

Helen Whitaker — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:33:40 +0000

An EU policy U-turn was announced earlier this month, with draft legislation to impose limits across Europe on land-use for fuel crop production. Climate change Comissioner, Connie Hedegaard, proposes to cap land-use in Europe for biofuel production at 5% (currently 4.5%) and end subsidies for biomass production by 2020.

EU policy has previously supported a multi-billion euro biofuel industry, in order to reach a target of 10% renewable transport fuels by 2020. The withdrawal of backing for biofuels results from concerns about indirect land use change (iLUC). A study by Chris Malins of the the International Council on Clean Transportation illustrates how biofuel crop production in Europe, has knock-on effects on the amount of land needed globally for agriculture. The release of carbon from clearing or draining new land for food, negates or could even exceed the carbon saved in using biofuel.

The draft law includes emissions values for the iLUC resulting from three biofuel crop types: cereals, sugars and oilseeds. The cost of growing fuel biomass, in the currency of indirectly produced carbon, is greatest for biodiesel crops and much lower for ethanol. This is expected to result in an investment swing in favor of second generation fuel technology. Today, Dutch Shell plc announced that for this investment to happen, businesses will need new incentives.

The EU announcement proposes to address the shortfall in sustainable fuels by making biofuels from household waste (and algae). However, households in developed countries such as the UK throw away millions of tonnes of food each year (that could have been eaten) at the same time as obesity rates in Europe have been soaring. This would suggest a pressing scope, in Europe at least, for reduced food consumption and a direct reduction in land-use pressure.

Biotechnology for Biofuels welcomes new joint Editor-in-Chief

Helen Whitaker — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:23:47 +0000

Bärbel Hahn-Hägerdal retired from her role as joint Editor-in-Chief for Biotechnology for Biofuels at the end of June. Huge thanks are due to Bärbel for being a champion of the journal, throughout the first five years since launch, and we are glad to see her work rewarded by the journal’s remarkable growth and success. We are pleased welcome James du Preez (University of the Free State, South Africa) as Bärbel’s successor. James joins Mike Himmel, Debra Mohnen and Charles Wyman as joint Editor-in-Chief.

James’s research interests are in the field of fermentation biotechnology with a special interest in continuous (chemostat) cultures, yeast physiology and the application of microbial cells for the production of metabolites in submerged culture. James steps up to the role of Editor-in-Chief, with first-hand experience of handling peer review, as a former Associate Editor for the journal. He says:

“I look forward to my role as new joint Editor-in-Chief of Biotechnology for Biofuels. In a relatively short time its Impact Factor has increased to above 6, which attests to the relevance and quality of the published articles. Furthermore, with the scope of the journal now including not only biofuels but also bio-based chemical products of fermentation, it is anticipated that Biotechnology for Biofuels will attract a greater number of high quality papers of interest to a larger pool of researchers working in this field.”

Powerful Impact in 2011

Helen Whitaker — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:32:59 +0000

Excellent news for Biotechnology for Biofuels came with the 2011 edition of Thomson Reuters’ Journal Citation Reports, released on June 28th 2012. The Impact Factor for Biotechnology for Biofuels increased from 4.15 to 6.09, placing the journal at the top of the its field, with the highest impact of all specialist biofuel journals.

The 2011 Impact Factor is calculated from the number of citations counted in 2011, to articles that were published in the journal during 2009 and 2010. Some of the most highly cited articles published in 2009 and 2010 are highlighted below:

Park, S., Baker, J.O., Himmel, M.E., Parilla, P.A., Johnson, D.K.(2010)
Cellulose crystallinity index: Measurement techniques and their impact on interpreting cellulase performance
Cited 47 times

Kristensen, J.B., Felby, C., Jørgensen, H. (2009)
Yield-determining factors in high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose
Cited 40 times

Tartar, A., Wheeler, M.M., Zhou, X., Coy, M.R., Boucias, D.G., Scharf, M.E.(2009)
Parallel metatranscriptome analyses of host and symbiont gene expression in the gut of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes
Cited 35 times

Kubicek, C.P., Mikus, M., Schuster, A., Schmoll, M., Seiboth, B. (2009)
Metabolic engineering strategies for the improvement of cellulase production by Hypocrea jecorina
Cited 34 times

de Vrije, T., Bakker, R.R., Budde, M.A.W., Lai, M.H., Mars, A.E., Claassen, P.A.M. (2009)
Efficient hydrogen production from the lignocellulosic energy crop Miscanthus by the extreme thermophilic bacteria Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Thermotoga neapolitana
Cited 32 times

(Citation counts: Journal Citation Reports, Thomson Reuters)