Towards full carbon utilization of second-generation feedstocks: homoacetogenic bacteria to the rescue:

The use of 1st generation biomass for biofuels raises ethical concerns due to competition with food production, prompting interest in 2nd generation (2G) biomass, often considered waste that emits CO₂ when discarded. This project explores using homoacetogenic bacteria to convert C5 and C6 carbohydrates from delignified 2G biomass into acetic acid with high carbon efficiency, leveraging their natural resistance to inhibitors and potential hydrolytic activity to reduce enzyme costs.