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Engineering biocatalysts for production of commodity chemicals.

Shanmugam KT, Ingram LO

Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. shan@ufl.edu

Lignocellulosic biomass is an attractive alternate to petroleum for production of both fuels and commodity chemicals. This conversion of biomass would require a new generation of microbial biocatalysts that can convert all the sugars present in the biomass to the desired compounds. In this review, the critical factors that need to be considered in engineering such microbial biocatalysts for cost-effective fermentation of sugars are discussed with specific emphasis on commodity chemicals such as lactic acid, succinic acid and acetic acid.

Published 19 March 2008 in J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol, 15(1): 8-15.
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