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The Sugarcane Biofactory

The Sugarcane Biofactory. for a sustainable future. Why biomaterials? Why sugarcane? Which targets? Sugars Bio- polymers Hurdles Actions. Sucrose. Isomaltulose. Ethanol. Sorona. Atmospheric CO 2. Individual Energy Use. We are all here. Most want to be here. We are all here.

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The Sugarcane Biofactory

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  1. The Sugarcane Biofactory for a sustainable future • Why biomaterials? • Why sugarcane? • Which targets? • Sugars • Bio-polymers • Hurdles • Actions Sucrose Isomaltulose Ethanol Sorona

  2. Atmospheric CO2 Individual Energy Use We are all here Most want to be here We are all here Most people in the world are here Challenges to Sustainability • Exponential increase in (non-renewable) resource consumption

  3. Ecological Footprint Allowing 12 percent for biodiversity, only 1.7 hectares of biologically productive area per capita is available for human use. Our World Today Global Impacts • Huge imbalances in resource consumption • Limited agricultural area - global loss of biodiversity

  4. Our World Today • Resource depletion • uneven consumption • Environmental impacts • loss of biodiversity • climate change • Global communications • rich or poor • Global conflicts • over resources • Abundant • ‘guns, germs & steel’ Global Impacts

  5. Industry Response (e.g. DuPont): * 10% of research budget into renewables from CHO ($130M) * 25% of sales in renewables by 2010 ($8B revenues by 2015) * 100% of vehicle fleet using renewable fuels by 2015 * Major international biofuels producer (partner BP) * Major international bio-based materials producer (partner MIT) Global Challenge Achieve sustainability • The greatest scientific challenge in human history • Renewable bioenergy & biomaterials • Plant biotechnology is a key • Sugarcane is one of the most promising crops

  6. ? Harvesting Sunlight Photosynthesis? At an energy transformation efficiency of 2%, solar energy collectors covering 1% of land surface with would provide the equivalent of world current oil usage. OR BIOMATERIALS!

  7. Photosynthesis: Harvesting Sunlight

  8. Why Sugarcane? Advantages for sustainable biomaterials • High biomass production • 40-80 tons DW / ha / yr • Simple extraction • Soluble sugars (20 tons sucrose ≈ 10 kL ethanol/ha/yr) • Fibre provides energy for processing (excess) • Established gene transfer system • Into elite cultivars • Inbuilt containment • No survival outside cultivation • No pollination of native plants or other crops • Extraction removes all genes and proteins

  9. A profitable future based on: Value-added biomaterials & bioenergy from renewable resources, in sustainable & efficient production systems Competitive edge from IP ownership built on collaborative R&D Delivering benefits valued by customers & consumers health & quality of life environment The Sugarcane Renewable Biomaterials Industry IP Bio- polymers Value- added sugars Power & Fuel Sucrose The Opportunity Economic and environmental sustainability

  10. Platforms gene expression patterns Products with enhanced value Markets & market development The Sugarcane Renewable Biomaterials Industry IP Bio- polymers Value- added sugars Power & Fuel Sucrose Requirements for economic viability

  11. Enhanced sucrose yield Waxes, pigments, antioxidants Biopolymers Sugarcane metabolic engineering Aromatics Biofuel feedstock Industrial enzymes Improved fibre quality High-value sugars Which Biomaterials? For sustainable profitability Suit non-food cultivars Suit food cultivars By-products with sugar

  12. Which Biomaterials? For sustainable profitability

  13. Engineering Sucrose Conversion A pilot study: Isomaltulose • A high-value sucrose isomer • Isolated genes for sucrose isomerase (SI)  SI Isomaltulose ( 1-6 GF)(= Palatinose) Sucrose ( 1-2 GF)

  14. Which plant is more efficient? Which is more sustainable? Benefits from Biofactories Why Isomaltulose? • Consumer benefits • Naturally occurring, widely approved • Non-cariogenic, ‘slow-release’ sugar • Not fermented by most microbes • Non-hygroscopic, acid stable • Industry compatibility • Existing infrastructure • Downstream potential • Growing market (potential for value-added blends) • Precursor for ‘isomalt’ • low calorie sweetener • Potential precursor for petrochemical replacements

  15. SI gene Promoter NTPP vacuole cytosol apoplasm Progress with Isomaltulose Engineered sugarcane • Express an introduced SI gene: • promoter determines which cells express • NTPP directs the protein to the vacuole • SI enzyme converts some sucrose to isomaltulose (IM) Storage parenchyma SI → Sucrose ( 1-2) Isomaltulose ( 1-6)

  16. Some Plants Accumulate IM Without corresponding decrease in sucrose • Results consistent over generations in containment glasshouse SI-expressing Q117 transformants N3.2 N3.2H Q117 control

  17. High Total Sugar Content Without corresponding decrease in fibre Water N3.2H N3.2 Sugar Q117 Fibre

  18. Sugar Content (mM sucrose equivalents in juice) Controls SI transformed lines High Total Sugar Content Transgenic sugarcane expressing SI • Some lines accumulate isomaltulose • Some lines show enhanced sucrose accumulation • implications for biomaterials & bioenergy • stability and field performance are key considerations Results in containment glasshouse tests

  19. Storage parenchyma Vascular bundles storage vacuole cytosol apoplasm High Total Sugar ContentHow does it work?

  20. Enhanced Photosynthesis and sucrose transport Sucrose transport into leaf plasma membrane vesicles Electron transport CO2 assimilation

  21. Increased Sink Strength? Cell wall invertase in storage parenchyma Reference: Wu L, Birch RG (2007) Doubled sugar content in sugarcane plants modified to produce a sucrose isomer. Plant Biotechnology Journal 5, 109-117. Dissected tissues from central zone Central parenchyma-rich zone Peripheral vascular-rich zone Q117 N3.2H N3.2 Lines

  22. TM SugarBooster TechnologyContinuing effort with government & industry • Working to establish • optimal implementation • stability & efficacy in the field • genotype specificity • applicability across species • Potentials • enhanced sugar accumulation • enhanced food production • enhanced biofuel production • enhanced understanding of source-sink relationships

  23. Progress with other Targets Sugar derivatives – e.g. Sorbitol

  24. Progress with other Targets Polymers – e.g. PolyhydroxyAlkanoates

  25. Progress with other Targets Aromatics – e.g. paraHydroxyBenzoate

  26. Progress with other Targets Proteins – e.g. Cytokine GM-CSF Collagen?

  27. The Sugarcane Renewable Biomaterials Industry IP Bio- polymers Value- added sugars Power & Fuel Sucrose Sugarcane Biofactory Needs to capture value in Australia • Platforms • reliable transgene expression patterns • Priority targets • technical feasibility • protected competitive advantage • market appeal • Partnerships - major industry • market development • competitive investment level • for delivery & sustainable advantage • Policy - government leadership • corrects historical anomalies • provides initial markets • permits industry investment

  28. Thanks Visionary support and continuing collaboration • AusIndustry REDI • SRDC • CSR • ARC – UQ Collaborations inplatform science • BSES • CSIRO Leading the teams that do all the hard work • Luguang Wu • Steve Mudge • Mick Graham • Dennis Hamerli • Lianhui Zhang • Terry Morgan • Doug Chamberlain • Jirri Stiller • Annathurai Gnanasambandam

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