Plasmid construction for the overexpression of waste biomass-degrading enzymes

Lignin is a naturally abundant source of aromatic carbon but is largely underutilized in industry because it is difficult to decompose. Under the current study we engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum for the depolymerization of lignin with the goal of using it as raw feed for the sustainable production of valuable chemicals. C. glutamicum is a standout candidate for the depolymerization and assimilation of lignin because of its performance as an industrial producer of amino acids, resistance to aromatic compounds in lignin, and low extracellular protease activity. Three different foreign and native ligninolytic enzymes were tested in combination with three signal peptides to assess lignin degradation efficacy. At this stage, six of the nine plasmid constructs have been constructed.