Harnessing microbial wealth for lignocellulose biomass valorization through secretomics: a review

The recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass is a major constraint to its high-value use at industrial scale. In nature, microbes play a crucial role in biomass degradation, nutrient recycling and ecosystem functioning. Therefore, the use of microbes is an attractive way to transform biomass to produce clean energy and high-value compounds. The microbial degradation of lignocelluloses is a complex process which is dependent upon multiple secreted enzymes and their synergistic activities. The availability of the cutting edge proteomics and highly sensitive mass spectrometry tools make possible for researchers to probe the secretome of microbes and microbial consortia grown on different lignocelluloses for the identification of hydrolytic enzymes of industrial interest and their substrate-dependent expression. This review summarizes the role of secretomics in identifying enzymes involved in lignocelluloses deconstruction, the development of enzyme cocktails and the construction of synthetic microbial consortia for biomass valorization, providing our perspectives to address the current challenges.

Automated summary

The recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass poses challenges for its industrial-scale utilization, however, utilizing microbes for biomass degradation presents a promising solution. Through advancements in proteomics and mass spectrometry, researchers are able to identify key enzymes involved in lignocellulose deconstruction and develop enzyme cocktails for efficient biomass valorization. This review highlights the importance of secretomics in understanding microbial degradation of lignocelluloses and the potential in constructing synthetic microbial consortia for biomass conversion.