产纤维素体菌厌氧降解纤维素制乙醇的研究进展

Research Progress in Anaerobic Degradation of Cellulose and the Subsequent Ethanol Production by Cellulosome-producing Bacteria

纤维素(植物细胞壁的主要成分)是自然界最丰富的一种可再生资源,但是极难降解利用。纤维素体是一种多酶复合体,能够高效降解纤维素,降解产物能够被某些厌氧微生物利用发酵产乙醇。综述了近年来产纤维素体菌厌氧降解纤维素制乙醇的研究进展,报道了纤维素体结构和功能、重组设计型纤维素体、代谢工程、混菌培养等研究方向的最新成果和思路,并对其前景作了展望。可以预期,随着研究的深入,生物质制乙醇必将日益显示出其强大的市场竞争力。

Cellulose, the main structural component of plant cell walls, is the most abundant renewable resource in nature, but it is extremely difficult to be degraded. Cellulosome is a multienzyme complex that can efficiently degrade cellulose and the degradation products can be used by some anaerobic microorganisms to produce ethanol. Recent research status in anaerobic degradation of cellulose for ethanol production by cellulosome-producing bacteria was reviewed in this paper. The latest achievements and research development in cellulosomes’ structure and function, designer cellulosomes, metabolic engineering and co-culture of cellulosome producing microorganisms were also summarized. It is expected that the development of new cellulose degrading microorganisms and relative technology will further cut the cost of cellulosic ethanol in the near future and make it more competitive with gasoline.