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SYNBIOMICS aimed to advance sustainable bioproduct synthesis by focusing on the reconstruction and upgrading of abundant yet underutilized woody biomass components—cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—into higher-value bio-based polymers and materials. It positioned Canada to expand its role in global bioproduct markets, leverage existing infrastructure investments, and strengthen national expertise in resource management.

Drs. Emma Master of the University of Toronto and Harry Brumer of UBC are leading the SYNBIOMICS project focused on harnessing biocatalysts, particularly enzymes, to modify the chemical and physical functionality of wood polymers. These modifications aimed to enable broader applications in renewable materials such as resins, crosslinking agents, and polymer precursors. The project utilized existing genomics datasets and undertook key activities including: deploying bioinformatics pipelines to prioritize target genes, producing recombinant proteins in industrial hosts, testing enzymes and cascades for selective modification of biomass substrates, exploring the role of non-lytic proteins in altering cellulose fiber structure, and developing genome-enabled process models to support biorefinery design, techno-economic assessments, and life-cycle analyses.

Key outcomes include 1,632 sequences, with 510 successfully expressed which exceeding project targets. Notable achievements were the demonstration of expansin-related proteins for lignocellulose processing, discovery of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases that modify cellulose fiber surfaces while maintaining high yields, the establishment of an enzyme cascade for hemicellulose amination, and production of alkaline-tolerant laccases effective on kraft lignin. Additionally, Local Similarity Analysis was implemented to explore correlations between microbial communities and operating data from pulp mill anaerobic digesters, offering new insights into biorefinery effluent treatment.