Fermentation of AFEX-treated sugars for biochemical production

In order to produce biochemicals from lignocellulosic biomass, a clean, highly concentrated sugar stream is required.  MBI is focusing on derisking and scaling up AFEX treatment technology, which is a mild pretreatment that produces a naturally fermentable hydrolysate.  This sugar stream is high in both protein and non-protein nitrogen, contains a significant amount of minerals, and contains few decomposition products.  The challenge, then, is to match this stream with organisms that can co-ferment glucose and xylose in a media with excess nitrogen and phenolic compounds.

We have identified succinic acid as a target chemical that can be produced with AFEX treated biomass sugars.  We have successfully demonstrated fermentability of AFEX hydrolysates into succinic acid using Actinobacillus succinogenes.  Metabolic yield, rate, and titer will be provided and compared to a pure sugar source.  In addition, differences in media required between hydrolysate and pure sugars will be presented.  Further challenges and improvements for production of bio-based chemicals from AFEX-derived sugars will be discussed, as well as other specific applications.