Cellulases for Biomass Conversion From the Transgenic Maize Production System

The production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass can utilize large volumes of agricultural residues that are untapped today. Ethanol fuels burn cleanly, thus the use of ethanol for partial replacement of petroleum fuels will have a positive impact on the environment. The production of ethanol fuels from lignocellulosic biomass is ready to be developed into a viable industry. Our results will show that the maize production system can meet the sensitive cost targets for cellulase enzyme production for the biomass to ethanol industry. In addition, they will show that maize has the flexibility to produce any new cellulase enzymes that are engineered to have improved performance on the vast array of lignocellulosic substrates that can be utilized in this industry.