The instant disclosure is generally related to microbial fermentation, grain processing and ethanol production. Certain embodiments of the disclosure are therefore related to starch-containing materials and the microbial fermentation of such starch-containing materials for the production ethanol. More particularly, certain embodiments are related to novel protease mixtures for use in processing such starch-containing materials in starch to ethanol fermentation processes described herein.

The instant disclosure is generally related to microbial fermentation, grain processing and ethanol production. Certain embodiments of the disclosure are therefore related to starch-containing materials and the microbial fermentation of such starch-containing materials for the production ethanol. More particularly, certain embodiments are related to novel protease mixtures for use in processing such starch-containing materials in starch to ethanol fermentation processes described herein.

The present invention relates to processes of recovering oil after liquefaction and/or from thin stillage and/or syrup/evaporated centrate from a fermentation product production process by adding a thermostable protease to the whole stillage, thin stillage and/or syrup.

The present invention relates to processes of recovering oil after liquefaction and/or from thin stillage and/or syrup/evaporated centrate from a fermentation product production process by adding a thermostable protease to the whole stillage, thin stillage and/or syrup.

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having laccase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having laccase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Chemically defined culture medium and culture conditions that allow bacteria to assimilate dinitrogen gas (N.sub.2) as a nitrogen source during bio-ethanol production are disclosed herein. Methods of bioethanol production using the chemically defined culture medium and culture conditions are also disclosed.

A method of producing saccharides, in which fluidity of the slurry including biomass can be retained; the used amount of the degrading enzyme can be reduced; and high concentration saccharides can be produced, is provided. In addition, a method of producing ethanol, in which high concentration ethanol can produced, is provided. The method of producing saccharides includes the steps of: adding a cellulose degrading enzyme to a slurry including a biomass; and degrading the cellulose included in the biomass by the degrading enzyme to produce saccharide including glucose as a major component. The concentration of the cellulose is retained at 75 g/L or less in a mixed solution including the slurry, the degrading enzyme, and an adsorption inhibitor inhibiting adsorption of the degrading enzyme to a lignin contained in the biomass.

The present invention relates to raw starch hydrolysis and in particular to a raw starch hydrolysis and fermentation process. More particularly the present invention relates to a process of producing a fermentation product from raw starch material, comprising the steps of: (a) saccharifying starch-containing material at a temperature below the initial gelatinization temperature of said starch-containing material; and (b) fermenting with a fermenting organism, wherein step (a) is carried out using at least a variant alpha-amylase comprising a substitution at one or more positions corresponding to positions 196, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 28, 38, 39, 43, 54, 56, 57, 64, 67, 68, 70, 71, 86, 89, 90, 94, 96, 99, 101, 103, 107, 108, 110, 113, 114, 117, 127, 134, 138, 142, 150, 151, 152, 156, 169, 171, 174, 179, 183, 193, 199, 200, 204, 205, 207, 208, 209, 212, 218, 221, 222, 224, 233, 241, 245, 259, 275, 278, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 308, 323, 335, 348, 359, 382, 386, 388, 392, 394, 396, 412, 414, 417, 424, 428, 457, 459, 466, 479, 489, 511, 533, 534, 542, 543, 545, 547, 549, 550, 551, 560, 566, 570, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 580, 581, 582, 589, 592, 599, 603, 605, 608, 614, 619, or 626 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the variant has alpha-amylase activity and wherein the variant has at least 60%, e.g., at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity, but less than 100% sequence identity, to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1, and optionally a glucoamylase.

The present invention relates to raw starch hydrolysis and in particular to a raw starch hydrolysis and fermentation process. More particularly the present invention relates to a process of producing a fermentation product from raw starch material, comprising the steps of: (a) saccharifying starch-containing material at a temperature below the initial gelatinization temperature of said starch-containing material; and (b) fermenting with a fermenting organism, wherein step (a) is carried out using at least a variant alpha-amylase comprising a substitution at one or more positions corresponding to positions 196, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 28, 38, 39, 43, 54, 56, 57, 64, 67, 68, 70, 71, 86, 89, 90, 94, 96, 99, 101, 103, 107, 108, 110, 113, 114, 117, 127, 134, 138, 142, 150, 151, 152, 156, 169, 171, 174, 179, 183, 193, 199, 200, 204, 205, 207, 208, 209, 212, 218, 221, 222, 224, 233, 241, 245, 259, 275, 278, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 308, 323, 335, 348, 359, 382, 386, 388, 392, 394, 396, 412, 414, 417, 424, 428, 457, 459, 466, 479, 489, 511, 533, 534, 542, 543, 545, 547, 549, 550, 551, 560, 566, 570, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 580, 581, 582, 589, 592, 599, 603, 605, 608, 614, 619, or 626 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the variant has alpha-amylase activity and wherein the variant has at least 60%, e.g., at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity, but less than 100% sequence identity, to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1, and optionally a glucoamylase.