PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ETHANOL FROM RAW STARCH USING ALPHA-AMYLASE VARIANTS

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. La présente invention concerne l'hydrolyse d'amidon brut et, en particulier, un procédé d'hydrolyse et de fermentation d'amidon brut. Plus particulièrement, la présente invention concerne un procédé de production d'un produit de fermentation à partir de matériau d'amidon brut, comprenant les étapes consistant à : (a) saccharifier un matériau contenant de l'amidon à une température inférieure à la température de gélatinisation initiale dudit matériau contenant de l'amidon ; et (b) fermenter avec un organisme de fermentation, l'étape (a) étant effectuée à l'aide d'au moins un variant d'alpha-amylase comprenant une substitution à une ou plusieurs positions correspondant aux 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,