Synthesis of bioproducts from lignin-derived aromatics by genetically modified microorganisms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11384367-B2
Application number	US-201916450824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2019
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Jul 12, 2022
Grant date	Jul 12, 2022

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method of converting a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound into a bioproduct, comprising: (a) providing a composition comprising a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound, optionally a depolymerized cellulose, and optionally a depolymerized hemicellulose, and (b) introducing a genetically modified microorganism to the composition, wherein the genetically modified microorganism is capable of converting the depolymerized lignin aromatic compound into a bioproduct; such that the depolymerized lignin aromatic compound is converted into a bioproduct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mixture of bioproducts produced by converting a mixture of depolymerized lignin aromatic compounds using a genetically modified microorganism capable of converting each depolymerized lignin aromatic compound into a bioproduct; wherein the mixture of depolymerized lignin aromatic compounds comprises:
(i) a mixture of depolymerized lignin aromatic compounds comprising the following chemical structures:

wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 , and

wherein R, R′ and R″ are each independently —H, —OH, or —OCH 3 ,
(ii) a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound having the following chemical structure:

wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 ,
(iii) a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound having the following chemical

wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 and
(iv) an ionic liquid.

2. A composition comprising:
(a) (i) a mixture of depolymerized lignin aromatic compounds comprising the following chemical structures:

wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 , and

wherein R, R′ and R″ are each independently —H, —OH, or —OCH 3 ,
(ii) a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound having the following chemical structure:

wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 , and
(iii) a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound having the following chemical structure:

wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 ,
(b) a depolymerized cellulose,
(c) a depolymerized hemicellulose,
(d) a genetically modified microorganism, wherein the genetically modified microorganism is capable of converting the depolymerized lignin aromatic compound into a bioproduct, and
(e) an ionic liquid.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the genetically modified microorganism is a fungal microorganism.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fungal microorganism is of the genus Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium , or Exophiala.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fungal microorganism is Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Rhodotorula graminis , or Rhodotorula glutinis.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fungal microorganism is Rhodosporidium toruloides.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fungal microorganism is Exophiala alcalophila.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the genetically modified microorganism is a bacterial microorganism.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the bacterial microorganism is of the genus Delftia or Rhodococcus.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the bacterial microorganism is Delftia acidovorans.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the bacterial microorganism is Rhodococcus rhodocorus.

12. A method of converting a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound into a bioproduct, comprising:
(a) providing a composition comprising
(i) a mixture of depolymerized lignin aromatic compounds comprising the following chemical structures:

 wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 , and

 wherein R, R′ and R″ are each independently —H, —OH, or —OCH 3 ,
(ii) a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound having the following chemical structure:

 wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 ,
(iii) a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound having the following

 wherein R and R′ are each independently —H or —OCH 3 , and
(iv) an ionic liquid, and

(b) introducing a genetically modified microorganism to the composition, wherein the genetically modified microorganism is capable of converting one of the depolymerized lignin aromatic compounds into a bioproduct;
such that the genetically modified microorganism converts a depolymerized lignin aromatic compound into the bioproduct.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified microorganism is a fungal microorganism.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the fungal microorganism is of the genus Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium , or Exophiala.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fungal microorganism is Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Rhodotorula graminis , or Rhodotorula glutinis.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fungal microorganism is Rhodosporidium toruloides.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fungal microorganism is Exophiala alcalophila.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified microorganism is a bacterial microorganism.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the bacterial microorganism is of the genus Delftia or Rhodococcus.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the bacterial microorganism is Delftia acidovorans.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the bacterial microorganism is Rhodococcus rhodocorus.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises contacting, prior to the providing step (a), a starting material with a depolymerization agent, wherein the starting material comprises a lignocellulosic biomass.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the depolymerization agent is NaOH, CuSO 4 , nitrobenzene, metal oxides, oxygen, a metal organic framework of Cu 2+ or Fe 3+ , ammonium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, Fenton's reagent, tetralin, sodium formate, or formic acid, or imidazolium ionic liquid.

Assignees

• Univ California
• Nat Tech & Eng Solutions Sandia Llc
• Battelle Memorial Institute For Management And Operation Of Pacific Northwest Nat Laboratory
• National Tech And Engineering Solutions Of Sandia Llc

Inventors

• Gladden John M
• Skerker Jeffrey M
• Keasling Jay D
• Kirby James
• Yaegashi Junko

Classifications

• Y02E50/10

  Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel · CPC title

• C12P7/42

  Hydroxy-carboxylic acids · CPC title

• C08H6/00

  Macromolecular compounds derived from lignin, e.g. tannins, humic acids · CPC title

• C12P17/182

  Heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen atoms as the only ring heteroatoms in the condensed system (alloxazine or isoalloxazine, e.g. riboflavine C12P25/00) · CPC title

• C12P1/02 Primary

  by using fungi · CPC title