Fluorescent enzymes

Rosie Ochoa
Advisor: Dr. Nancy Kravit

The purpose of this project is to use woody biomass efficiently by discovering enzymes that break ether bonds between lignin and hemicellulose. Wood has three major macromolecular components: cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. It is believed ether bonds between lignin and hemicelluloses are a primary reason for the strength of both hardwoods and softwoods and for the difficulty of fractionating wood into separate streams of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin.

There are several advantages having separate streams of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Cellulose is used for papermaking. Hemicellulose can be depolymerized into its component sugars and the sugars then used in fermentations to produce building blocks for polymers, fine chemicals, chiral chemicals, or biofuels. The remaining lignin stream can be burned for heat and energy or sold for synthesis of aromatic fine chemicals.

2009 REU Interview, July 20, 2009 – Rosie Ochoa

If you or your class has questions regarding this research or experience, please contact:

compgik@yahoo.com