Nanoscale interactions of polyethylene glycol with thermo-mechanically pre-treated Pinus radiata biofuel substrate.

摘要: Non-productive adsorption of cellulose degrading enzymes on lignin is a likely reason for reduced rate and extent enzymatic conversion lignocellulosic substrate to sugars. Additives such as polyethyleneglycol (PEG) may act blocking agents in this non-productive interaction. However, the exact molecular level interactions PEG with pre-treated substrates are not known. We have used confocal fluorescence microscopy combined Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) reveal between present thermo-mechanically Pinus radiata substrate, fluorescently labeled PEG. It demonstrated that interaction mainly associated particles derived from secondary walls, little or no penetration into fragments middle lamella. This nanoscale information PEG–substrate will assist rationalizing pre-treatment methods reduce recalcitrance softwood biofuel substrates. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 719–725. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.