Cellulolytic bacteria and biotechnology,endoglucanase and termite ,microbes involved

1. Cellulolytic Bacteria and
Biotechnology
BY SREEREMYA.S

2.  In recent years, increasing gas prices and
environmental concerns have become the driving
force for developing alternative energy sources,
especially fuel ethanol for automobiles. Currently,
corn is the primary raw material for ethanol
production in the United States. However,
lignocellulosic biomass has the potential to
provide a more economical feedstock as a result
of its widespread availability, sustainable
production and low starting value.

3.  Conversion of lignocelluloses to ethanol employs
five of
 the following steps which includes of
 1) Isolation of potent microbe from termite’s gut
 (Isolation)
 2) Pretreatment to breakdown the lignin and open
the
 crystalline structure of cellulose

4.  Inoculation of the pre- treated cellulolytic biomass
by
 microbes present in termite’s gut
 4) Treatment with the enzymes synthesized by
bacteria
 in termite’s gut to release simple sugar
 (saccharification) and
 5) Microbial fermentation of simple sugar to
ethanol
 using yeast (fermentation).

5.  Existing pretreatment methods have largely been
developed on the basis of physicochemical
technologies such as steam explosion, dilute
acid, alkali, and oxidation or varied combinations
(Moiser et al., 2005). However, typical physical
and chemical pretreatments require high-energy
(steam or electricity) as well as corrosion-resistant,
highpressure reactors, which increase
the cost of pretreatment and need for specialty
equipment

6.  Furthermore, chemical pretreatments can be
detrimental to subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis
and microbial fermentation apart from producing
acidic or alkaline waste water which needs pre-disposal
treatment to ensure environmental
safety (Keller et al., 2003). Microbial pretreatment
employs microorganisms and their enzyme
systems to breakdown lignin present in
lignocellulosic biomass.

7.  This environment friendly approach has recently
received increased attention and has potential
advantages over the prevailing physicochemical
pretreatment technologies due to reduced energy
and material costs,simplified processes and
equipment, and use of biologically based
catalysts