ABSTRACT
Lignocellulose biomass is an economically viable and most abundant energy source. The synthesis of renewable energy-based fuel from lignocellulosic biomass is a replacement for fossil fuel. Cellulases are the biocatalysts that hydrolyze the β-1,4-glycosidic bond in cellulose to release carbohydrate moieties that can be converted to ethanol, butanol, and other compounds. However, little enzymatic activity and product yield, and thermal stability are hurdles in the deconstruction of lignocellulose. Current progress in synthetic and omics technologies has resulted in several works in metabolic and genetic engineering that have paved the way for efficient conversion of lignocellulose to fuel in the last decades. Several works have attempted to apply genetic and metabolic engineering in the synthesis of stable and highly active cellulases at lower cost. This chapter reviews various genetic engineering technologies for enhancing cellulase synthesis and catalytic efficiency.
