Researchers from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore have produced a novel strain of yeast with improved xylose tolerance and metabolism suitable for use in the production of cellulosic ethanol. Xylose is the second most abundant sugar present in lignocellulosic biomass after glucose. The efficient fermentation of xylose is required to develop economically viable processes for the production of cellulosic biofuels. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regarded as an industrial working horse for ethanol production because it can produce ethanol in high titre using hexose sugars and have high ethanol tolerance. However it cannot ferment xylose. The yeast, Pichia stipitis, is one of the… Login to continue

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