Research:

Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on the Earth. It is the source of energy for livestock by action of rumen bacteria. It is the source of energy for ethanol production by the fermentation processes. It is a raw material for feed and food industries, as well as paper, adhesive and many others. Cellulases and glucanases are examples of enzymes that are able to degrade cellulose into more usable products. We expressed a recombinant endoglucanase in corn and we are in the process of characterization of the transgenic lines. We are interested in the biochemical properties of the plants, as well as potential uses in ethanol production for fuel and increased digestibility for biomass in livestock.