Lactic acid bacteria for the production of ethanol from biomass material

Abstract

Lactic acid bacterial cultures, cell populations and articles of manufacture comprising same are disclosed for generating ethanol from lignocellulse.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An isolated cell population comprising:
 (i) a first population of lactic acid bacteria which are genetically modified to express at least one fibrolytic enzyme; and   (ii) a second population of lactic acid bacteria which are genetically modified to produce ethanol from C5 or C6 sugars.   
     
     
         2 . The isolated cell population of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fibrolytic enzyme is expressed as a fusion protein with dockerin. 
     
     
         3 . A bacterial culture comprising an isolated cell population of lactic acid bacteria which are genetically modified to express at least one fibrolytic enzyme and to produce ethanol from C5 or C6 sugars, and a biomass composition. 
     
     
         4 . The culture of  claim 3 , wherein said biomass composition comprises cellulose and/or hemicellulose. 
     
     
         5 . The culture of  claim 3 , wherein said biomass further comprises lignin. 
     
     
         6 . The culture of  claim 3 , wherein said biomass is selected from the group consisting of paper, paper products, paper waste, wood, particle board, sawdust, agricultural waste, sewage, silage, grasses, rice hulls, bagasse, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, straw, corn cobs, corn stover, switchgrass, alfalfa, hay, coconut hair, cotton, seaweed, algae, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The isolated cell population of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one fibrolytic enzyme is cellulase. 
     
     
         8 . The isolated cell population of  claim 7 , further comprising a third population of lactic acid bacteria which are genetically modified to express a xylanase. 
     
     
         9 . The isolated cell population of  claim 1 , wherein said first population of lactic acid bacteria comprise  Lactobacillus plantarum.    
     
     
         10 . The isolated cell population of  claim 1 , wherein said second population of lactic acid bacteria comprise  Lactobacillus plantarum.    
     
     
         11 . The isolated cell population of  claim 8 , wherein said third population of lactic acid bacteria comprise  Lactobacillus plantarum.    
     
     
         12 . The bacterial culture of  claim 3 , wherein said lactic acid bacteria comprise  Lactobacillus plantarum.    
     
     
         13 . The isolated cell population of  claim 7 , wherein said cellulase is a  Thermobifida fusca  cellulase. 
     
     
         14 . The isolated cell population of  claim 8 , wherein said xylanase is a  Thermobifida fusca  xylanase. 
     
     
         15 . The isolated cell population of  claim 7 , wherein said cellulase is a mesophilic bacteria cellulase. 
     
     
         16 . The isolated cell population of  claim 8 , wherein said xylanase is a mesophilic bacteria xylanase. 
     
     
         17 . The isolated cell population of  claim 15 , wherein said mesophilic bacteria is a  Ruminococcus flavefaciens  or  Ruminococcus albus.    
     
     
         18 . The isolated cell population of  claim 1 , wherein said first population and said second population comprise identical strains of bacteria. 
     
     
         19 . The isolated cell population of  claim 1 , wherein said second population of lactic acid bacteria are genetically modified to express alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase. 
     
     
         20 . The bacterial culture of  claim 3 , wherein said cell population is genetically modified to express alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase.