SBIR Phase II: Advanced Development of Novel Maize and Sorghum Bioenergy Plants Using Lignolink Technology

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will further demonstrate the potential of LignoLink's technology for improving cellulosic biomass crops as feedstocks for the bioenergy and animal feed industries. Lignocellulosic biomass is a major renewable feedstock. A critical step in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to energy is enzymatic digestion of the biomass to sugars. Lignin provides plant strength and is the primary and most challenging barrier to accessing and extracting cellulose for conversion to sugars. The novel Lignolink approach helps overcome this significant challenge by inserting proteins into the lignin structure of biomass to greatly enhance the digestibility of lignocellulose. The Lignolink modification of the lignin structure provides the desired benefits without hurting the strength or the health of the plant during normal growth. This is a key breakthrough. Small scale trials in the NSF Phase I SBIR resulted in increases of over 50% in yields of fermentable sugars from poplar wood and corn-stover biomass, without affecting plant fitness. In Phase II research the scope of the trials will be expanded in maize and poplar, both in the number and type of cell wall proteins being tested and in the scale of the trials with the best performing lines. This will demonstrate the general applicability of the technology in both annual cereal crops and in perennial woody biomass sources, which represent the full spectrum of cellulosic biomass feedstocks. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project extends from bioenergy to agriculture and biomaterials industries. Biobased products are an attractive green and sustainable long-term alternative to petroleum based products. Lignolink's technology, has the potential to make cellulosic biofuels more commercially viable and more environmentally friendly by permitting the use of milder pretreatment conditions leading to greater product yields and efficiency. Pretreatment is the largest single cost in biofuels production, and can be a significant limiting factor in economic viability. Increases in yields of sugar from biomass of 50% or more through facilitating biomass treatability itself holds great potential to improve commercial viability of the use of cellulosic biomass for energy, specialty chemicals and biomaterials and thus should facilitate development of economically viable commercial production technology. Lignolink's technology could similarly improve biomass for use as feed for livestock, by improving breakdown during digestion in animals. This could increase efficiency of nutrient extraction, thereby reducing the necessary land base and environmental impact of animal agriculture.