Water prehydrolysis of wood is an interesting process for the recovery of xylooligosaccharides and derivatives thereof, while at the same time cellulose is preserved to a large extent for subsequent dissolving pulp production. The recovery of value-added products out of autohydrolysates is frequently hindered by extensive lignin precipitation, especially at high temperatures. In this study, a n...

Crystallographic data for several myosin isoforms have provided evidence for at least two conformations in the absence of actin: a prehydrolysis state that is similar to the original nucleotide-free chicken skeletal subfragment-1 (S1) structure, and a transition-state structure that favors hydrolysis. These weak-binding states differ in the extent of closure of the cleft that divides the actin-...

SPORL (Sulfite Pretreatment to Overcome Recalcitrance of Lignocellulose) has been demonstrated as an effective and robust pretreatment technology for ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass, in particular woody biomass. The process consists of a short chemical treatment of feedstock with sulfite followed by mechanical size reduction (fiberization) with disk mill. Studies indicated that ...

We present a structurally dynamic model for nucleotide- and actin-induced closure of the actin-binding cleft of myosin, based on site-directed spin labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in Dictyostelium myosin II. The actin-binding cleft is a solvent-filled cavity that extends to the nucleotide-binding pocket and has been predicted to close upon strong actin binding. Single-cystein...

Corn stover is a promising feedstock for bioethanol production because of its abundant availability in China. To obtain higher ethanol concentration and higher ethanol yield, liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment and fed-batch semi-simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (S-SSF) were used to enhance the enzymatic digestibility of corn stover and improve bioconversion of cellulose to ethano...

There are three distinct members of the myosin V family in vertebrates, and each isoform is involved in different membrane trafficking pathways. Both myosin Va and Vb have demonstrated that they are high duty ratio motors that are consistent with the processive nature of these motors. Here we report that the ATPase cycle mechanism of the single-headed construct of myosin Vc is quite different f...

An experimental formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis was used in the laboratory to assess the influence of water temperature and pH on the relationship between concentration, duration of exposure, and mortality of the northern black fly species Simulium decorum and Prosimulium mixtum/fuscum group. Mortality increases in both species with increases in duration of exposure, conc...

A major challenge to economically produce ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is to achieve industrially relevant ethanol titers (>50 g L) to control operating and capital costs for downstream ethanol operations while maintaining high ethanol yields. However, due to reduced fermentation effectiveness at high biomass solids loadings, excessive amounts of enzymes are typically required to obtain...

Dissolving pulp mill wastewater called prehydrolysis liquor (PHL) obtained from steam (at 150-170C) treatment of wood had a total chemical oxygen demand (COD) of approximately 100 g/L contains mainly sugars, furfural, lignin, and acetic acid, poses a considerable wastewater disposal problem. Replacement of the current energy intensive disposal method (evaporation and use of recovery boiler) is ...