LLNL reserchers design screening system to test hundreds of enzymes for celluose processing
In California, a researcher team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has designed two high-throughput screening systems to test hundreds of enzymes for their ability to break down cellulose in various forms of agricultural byproducts and plant waste. The result could be used to identify the most efficient enzymes for different materials, transforming biomass into biofuel.
Previously colleagues developed a technique to watch and map how a single enzyme breaks down cellulose in real time at the microscale. They identified the areas where biomass is most amenable to sugar extraction, revealing conditions that can maximize yield and help match enzymes to materials.
By extending the method to simultaneously screen 80 samples using LLNL’s SPOC platform and a newly established AutoMine Ultra-High Throughput Screening System, the team is capable of examining 5000 combinations of enzymes and biomass types per week.
Category: Research
