Novel perspectives for evolving enzyme cocktails for lignocellulose hydrolysis in biorefineries

Abstract The unstable and uncertain availability of petroleum sources as well as rising cost of fuels have shifted global efforts to utilize renewable resources for the production of greener energy and a replacement which can also meet the high energy demand of the world. Bioenergy routes suggest that atmospheric carbon can be cycled through biofuels in carefully designed systems for sustainability. Significant potential exists for bioconversion of biomass, the most abundant and also the most renewable biomaterial on our planet. However, the requirements of enzyme complexes which act synergistically to unlock and saccharify polysaccharides from the lignocellulose complex to fermentable sugars incur major costs in the overall process and present a great challenge. Currently available cellulase preparations are subject to tight induction and regulation systems and also suffer inhibition from various end products. Therefore, more potent and efficient enzyme preparations need to be developed for the enzymatic saccharification process to be more economical. Approaches like enzyme engineering, reconstitution of enzyme mixtures and bioprospecting for superior enzymes are gaining importance. The current scenario, however, also warrants the need for research and development of integrated biomass production and conversion systems.