Genomics

The degradation of plant biomass by the Trichoderma reesei enzyme cocktail: composition, interactions and improvement avenues. The development of alternative, low-carbon energies is essential in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change. One example is second-generation bioethanol, produced from lignocellullosic biomass and used as a fuel in the mobility sector. The research of Senta Blanquet has focused on a crucial step in the production process for this biofuel: enzymatic hydrolysis.

Within the context of the energy transition, new bioprocesses are emerging as substitutes for processes using fossil resources. For example, Clostridium acetobutylicum is a microorganism capable of converting the large variety of sugars derived from lignocellulosic biomass into a raft of bio-based substances, via fermentation. This makes it a potential candidate for producing biofuels and/or chemical intermediates that can be used by industry....

Most frequently, the use of a microorganism in the production of biofuels or biosourced chemicals requires its optimisation. This is achieved through genetic engineering, which involves inactivation and/or addition of one or more genes, to improve the ability of this microorganism to produce a target molecule. (...) At IFPEN, access to genomics (DNA) has helped in gathering data on the composition and structure of the genomes of the microorganisms...

A major challenge of the energy transition, the substitution of petrochemical processes by bioprocesses requires the use of catalysts (or microorganisms) to produce molecules for industry...

The scope of my HDR covered ten years of research at IFPEN within the context of the development of Futurol™, a process aimed at producing 2nd-generation bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. My

THESIS BY AURÉLIE PIRAYRE, 2018 YVES CHAUVIN PRIZE