Xylanolytic enzymes in yeast

Research Project, 2019 – 2021

Xylan is an important yet underutilized part of plant biomass that we need to become better at converting into different products such as biofuels and biochemicals. Much research has been done on xylan-degrading enzymes from bacteria and fungi, while very little is known about which enzymes different yeast species use for the same purpose. Our hypothesis is that some yeasts produce xylan-degrading enzymes with unique properties (such as new ways to break the various xylan bonds), which may be useful in industry. Thus, the project's goal is to identify yeast species that can break down xylan, understand which enzymes they use and in detail show how the most interesting enzymes work. The project will lead to the identification of new xylan-degrading enzymes with the potential to improve today's industrial processes for the production of food, textiles and pulp, as well as future biorefineries where plant biomass is converted into fuels and chemicals.