Biotechnology strategies with industrial fuel ethanol Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for efficient 1st and 2nd generation bioethanol production from sugarcane

Background In Brazil the production of fuel ethanol is based on the fermentation of sucrose from sugarcane by selected industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains [1-3], a mature and highly competitive technology. Taking into account that the feedstock costs have a major role in the overall economics of the process, it is expected that more efficient conversions of sucrose into ethanol (1 generation bioethanol) will be of high economical significance. Another promising strategy to improve bioethanol production is the fermentation of the lignocellulosic material present in sugarcane bagasse and leaves (2 generation bioethanol), a biomass containing large amounts of xylose, a sugar not fermented by S. cerevisiae yeast strains [4]. Thus, although the integration of 1 and 2 generation ethanol production in the Brazilian industry is considered the best option for bioethanol production [5], there are still several drawbacks to fully develop an efficient industrial production system. In this presentation we will show the metabolic and genomic engineering strategies that we are introducing into industrial yeast strains to improve bioethanol production in Brazil.