Chapter 7: New Insights into Microbial Strategies for Biomass Conversion

Biomass represents a vast source of carbon for cellulosic biofuels production. Understanding and developing better strategies for the conversion of cellulosic biomass is essential for the success of this industry. Over the years, we have used the diversity found in nature to guide the development of more efficient enzyme preparations tailored for biomass degradation. Microbes have evolved to degrade and use plant-derived cellulosic substrates in their environments. However, bacteria and fungi use drastically different but complementary approaches to overcome the inherent recalcitrance of biomass substrates. Here, we present the most common biomass degradation mechanisms found in nature. Additionally, we highlight the importance of understanding their strategies and complementarity to develop better enzyme preparations and microbes to achieve sustainable biofuels production.