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Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fermentation Studies on Selected Known Maize Starch Mutants Using STARGEN™ Enzyme Blends

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Abstract

The conversion of maize (corn) kernels to bio-ethanol is an energy-intensive process involving many stages. One step typically required is the liquefaction of the ground kernel to enable enzyme hydrolysation of the starch to glucose. The enzyme blends STARGEN™ (Genencor) are capable of hydrolysing starch granules without liquefaction, reducing energy inputs and increasing efficiency. Studies were conducted on maize starch mutants amylose extender 1 (ae1), dull 1 (du1) and waxy 1 (wx1) in the inbred line Oh43 to determine whether different maize starches affected hydrolysation rates by STARGEN™ 001 and STARGEN™ 002. All mutants contained similar proportions of starch in the kernel but varied in the amylose to amylopectin ratio. Ground maize kernels were incubated with STARGEN™ 001 and viewed using scanning electron microscopy to examine the hydrolysis action of STARGEN™ 001 on the starch granules. The ae1 mutant exhibited noticeably less enzymic hydrolysis action, on the granules visualised, than wx1 and background line Oh43. Kernels were batch-fermented with STARGEN™ 001 and STARGEN™ 002. The ae1 mutant exhibited a 50% lower ethanol yield compared to the wx1 mutant and background line. A final study compared hydrolysation rates of STARGEN™ 001 and STARGEN™ 002 on purified maize starch, amylopectin and amylose. Though almost twice the amylopectin was hydrolysed using STARGEN™ 002 than STARGEN™ 001 in this trial, fermentations using STARGEN™ 002 resulted in lower ethanol yields than fermentations using STARGEN™ 001. Both STARGEN™ enzyme blends were more suitable for the fermentation of high amylopectin maize starches than high amylose starches.

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Abbreviations

ae1:

Amylose extender 1

du1:

Dull 1

wx1:

Waxy 1

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) UK and Genencor International (Palo Alto, CA, USA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bioenergy and Environmental Change Division, IBERS, Aberystwyth University, Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, UK

    Jessica M. M. Adams & Iain S. Donnison

  2. Genencor International, P.O. Box 218, 2300 AE, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Pauline J. M. Teunissen

  3. Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK

    Geoff Robson

  4. Formerly of Danisco US Inc, 925 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA

    Nigel Dunn-Coleman

Authors
  1. Jessica M. M. Adams
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  2. Pauline J. M. Teunissen
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  3. Geoff Robson
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  4. Nigel Dunn-Coleman
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  5. Iain S. Donnison
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Correspondence to Iain S. Donnison.

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Adams, J.M.M., Teunissen, P.J.M., Robson, G. et al. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fermentation Studies on Selected Known Maize Starch Mutants Using STARGEN™ Enzyme Blends. Bioenerg. Res. 5, 330–340 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-011-9135-5

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