NSF Award
0419067
0419067<br/>Coleman<br/><br/>This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes the use of "directed evolution" to improve the properties of cellulose enzymes for use in the wood pulping process. The current process for converting wood chips and other biomass to paper fibers is a highly energy intensive thermal process. Cellulases can reduce the energy requirements, but are thermally unstable and have generally slow hydrolysis rates. Directed evolution, microbial mutation and rapid screening for improved enzymes, will be used to develop a microbial strain producing more thermally stable, faster acting enzymes.<br/><br/>The commercial application of this project will be to improve the energy efficiency of the wood pulping process. Improved enzymes will be used to facilitate cellulose breakdown and reduce process energy requirements. It is estimated that a 10% reduction in energy input would save about $300 million worldwide annually. The information gained from this study could also be applied to other similar enzymatic processes.
