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Grant recipient

Magnus Arntzen

DENITRO: Oxidative Polysaccharide Conversion in Anoxia by Denitrifying Organisms
Grant amount: DKK 9,461,321
Magnus Arntzen says: “Falling leaves and branches along the shoreline of nitrogen-rich lakes create a niche habitat for denitrifying microbes capable of degrading cellulose. This very same sort of habitat can be found in field denitrification beds, which are cellulose-containing water treatment basins used by Danish farmers to clear the surface water from excess fertilization, in particular nitrate. Within these habitats, cellulose degradation and denitrification occurs, but the underlying microbial interactions and enzymes at work remain unknown. I believe these habitats hold an untapped potential for powerful new cellulose-degrading enzyme systems. In this project, I will reveal the microbes and enzymes at play using a repertoire of state-of-the-art microbial techniques and provide novel insight into cellulose deconstruction in nitrate-rich habitats. This will lay the foundation for innovative bioprocessing strategies with enzyme systems that can utilize nitrate instead of oxygen as co-substrate.”
Magnus Arntzen
Magnus Arntzen
PhD, researcher Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås