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Delmer D, Dixon RA, Keegstra K, Mohnen D. The plant cell wall-dynamic, strong, and adaptable-is a natural shapeshifter. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:1257-1311. [PMID: 38301734 PMCID: PMC11062476 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Mythology is replete with good and evil shapeshifters, who, by definition, display great adaptability and assume many different forms-with several even turning themselves into trees. Cell walls certainly fit this definition as they can undergo subtle or dramatic changes in structure, assume many shapes, and perform many functions. In this review, we cover the evolution of knowledge of the structures, biosynthesis, and functions of the 5 major cell wall polymer types that range from deceptively simple to fiendishly complex. Along the way, we recognize some of the colorful historical figures who shaped cell wall research over the past 100 years. The shapeshifter analogy emerges more clearly as we examine the evolving proposals for how cell walls are constructed to allow growth while remaining strong, the complex signaling involved in maintaining cell wall integrity and defense against disease, and the ways cell walls adapt as they progress from birth, through growth to maturation, and in the end, often function long after cell death. We predict the next century of progress will include deciphering cell type-specific wall polymers; regulation at all levels of polymer production, crosslinks, and architecture; and how walls respond to developmental and environmental signals to drive plant success in diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Delmer
- Section of Plant Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Richard A Dixon
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Kenneth Keegstra
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Debra Mohnen
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Ju Z, Brosse N, Hoppe S, Wang Z, Ziegler-Devin I, Zhang H, Shu B. Thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified lignin/polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 262:129997. [PMID: 38340934 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
In this study, a method was proposed to prepare biocomposites from polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified lignin using twin-screw extrusion process. The structure of PEG-modified lignin was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) analysis. The effects of different contents of soda lignin and PEG-modified lignin on PLA composites were studied by tensile test, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and degradation analysis. The experimental results showed that the addition of PEG-modified lignin enhanced the heat resistance of PLA composite. PLA could be combined with up to 30 % PEG-modified lignin, with no significant reduction in tensile strength properties. Compared with PLA-L30, the tensile stress and elongation at break of PLA-PL30 were increased by 26.4 % and 78.9 %, respectively. This approach provided a new way to produce high-performance lignin based-PLA composites and had certain industrial application value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehui Ju
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China; Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China; Université de Lorraine - INRAE - LERMAB - GP4W, F 54000 Nancy, France.
| | - Nicolas Brosse
- Université de Lorraine - INRAE - LERMAB - GP4W, F 54000 Nancy, France.
| | - Sandrine Hoppe
- Université de Lorraine - CNRS - LRGP, F 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China; Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | | | - Haiyang Zhang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Biqing Shu
- College of Civil Engineering, Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute, Yangzhou 225127, PR China
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Sethuraman V, Vermaas JV, Liang L, Ragauskas AJ, Smith JC, Petridis L. Atomistic Simulations of Polydisperse Lignin Melts Using Simple Polydisperse Residue Input Generator. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:767-777. [PMID: 38157547 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the physics of lignin will help rationalize its function in plant cell walls as well as aiding practical applications such as deriving biofuels and bioproducts. Here, we present SPRIG (Simple Polydisperse Residue Input Generator), a program for generating atomic-detail models of random polydisperse lignin copolymer melts i.e., the state most commonly found in nature. Using these models, we use all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the conformational and dynamic properties of polydisperse melts representative of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) lignin. Polydispersity, branching and monolignol sequence are found to not affect the calculated glass transition temperature, Tg. The Flory-Huggins scaling parameter for the segmental radius of gyration is 0.42 ± 0.02, indicating that the chains exhibit statistics that lie between a globular chain and an ideal Gaussian chain. Below Tg the atomic mean squared displacements are independent of molecular weight. In contrast, above Tg, they decrease with increasing molecular weight. Therefore, a monodisperse lignin melt is a good approximation to this polydisperse lignin when only static properties are probed, whereas the molecular weight distribution needs to be considered while analyzing lignin dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaidyanathan Sethuraman
- Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1-Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
| | - Josh V Vermaas
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Luna Liang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, Center for Renewable Carbon, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- UTK-ORNL Joint Institute for Biological Science, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Jeremy C Smith
- Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1-Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Loukas Petridis
- Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1-Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States
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Huang W, Shi Y, Yan H, Wang H, Wu D, Grierson D, Chen K. The calcium-mediated homogalacturonan pectin complexation in cell walls contributes the firmness increase in loquat fruit during postharvest storage. J Adv Res 2022:S2090-1232(22)00211-9. [PMID: 36198382 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Postharvest textural changes in fruit are mainly divided into softening and lignification. Loquat fruit could have severe lignification with increased firmness during postharvest storage. Pectin is mainly associated with the postharvest softening of fruit, but some studies also found that pectin could be involved in strengthening the mechanical properties of the plant. OBJECTIVES This study focused on characterizing the dynamics of pectin and its complexation in the cell wall of lignified loquat fruit during postharvest storage, and how these changes could influence fruit firmness. METHODS The homogalacturonan (HG) pectin in the cell wall of loquat fruit was identified using monoclonal antibodies. An oligogalacturonide (OG) probe was used to label the egg-box structure formed by Ca2+ cross-linking with low-methylesterified HG. An exogenous injection was used to verify the role of egg-box structures in the firmness increase in loquat fruit. RESULTS The JIM5 antibody revealed that low-methylesterified HG accumulated in the tricellular junctions and middle lamella of loquat fruit that had severe lignification symptoms. The pectin methylesterase (PME) activity increased during the early stages of storage at 0°C, and the calcium-pectate content and flesh firmness constantly increased during storage. The OG probe demonstrated the accumulation of egg-box structures at the cellular level. The exogenous injection of PME and Ca2+ into the loquat flesh led to an increase in firmness with more low-methylesterified HG and egg-box structure signals. CONCLUSION PME-mediated demethylesterification generated large amounts of low-methylesterified HG in the cell wall. This low-methylesterified HG further cross-linked with Ca2+ to form egg-box structures. The pectin-involved complexations then contributed to the increased firmness in loquat fruit. Overall, besides being involved in fruit softening, pectin could also be involved in strengthening the mechanical properties of postharvest fruit. This study provides new ideas for obtaining a better texture of postharvest loquat fruits based on pectin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weinan Huang
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology/The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, P. R. China; Zhejiang University Zhongyuan Institute, Zhengzhou 450000, P. R. China
| | - Yanna Shi
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology/The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - He Yan
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, P. R. China
| | - Di Wu
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology/The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, P. R. China; Zhejiang University Zhongyuan Institute, Zhengzhou 450000, P. R. China.
| | - Donald Grierson
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology/The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, P. R. China; Plant and Crop Sciences Division, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, UK
| | - Kunsong Chen
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology/The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, 310058 Hangzhou, P. R. China; Zhejiang University Zhongyuan Institute, Zhengzhou 450000, P. R. China
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Li C, Luo Y, Jin M, Sun S, Wang Z, Li Y. Response of Lignin Metabolism to Light Quality in Wheat Population. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:729647. [PMID: 34589105 PMCID: PMC8473876 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.729647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The low red/far-red (R/FR) light proportion at the base of the high-density wheat population leads to poor stem quality and increases lodging risk. We used Shannong 23 and Shannong 16 as the test materials. By setting three-light quality treatments: normal light (CK), red light (RL), and far-red light (FRL), we irradiated the base internodes of the stem with RL and FRL for 7h. Our results showed that RL irradiation enhanced stem quality, as revealed by increased breaking strength, stem diameter, wall thickness and, dry weight per unit length, and the total amount of lignin and related gene expression increased, at the same time. The composition of lignin subunits was related to the lodging resistance of wheat. The proportion of S+G subunits and H subunits played a key role in wheat lodging resistance. RL could increase the content of S subunits and G subunits and the proportion of S+G subunits, reduce the proportion of H subunits. We described here, to the best of our knowledge, the systematic study of the mechanism involved in the regulation of stem breaking strength by light quality, particularly the effect of light quality on lignin biosynthesis and its relationship with lodging resistance in wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Agronomy College of Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
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Schultz JA, Coleman HD. Pectin and Xylan Biosynthesis in Poplar: Implications and Opportunities for Biofuels Production. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:712083. [PMID: 34490013 PMCID: PMC8418221 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.712083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A potential method by which society's reliance on fossil fuels can be lessened is via the large-scale utilization of biofuels derived from the secondary cell walls of woody plants; however, there remain a number of technical challenges to the large-scale production of biofuels. Many of these challenges emerge from the underlying complexity of the secondary cell wall. The challenges associated with lignin have been well explored elsewhere, but the dicot cell wall components of hemicellulose and pectin also present a number of difficulties. Here, we provide an overview of the research wherein pectin and xylan biosynthesis has been altered, along with investigations on the function of irregular xylem 8 (IRX8) and glycosyltransferase 8D (GT8D), genes putatively involved in xylan and pectin synthesis. Additionally, we provide an analysis of the evidence in support of two hypotheses regarding GT8D and conclude that while there is evidence to lend credence to these hypotheses, there are still questions that require further research and examination.
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Saha P, Lin F, Thibivilliers S, Xiong Y, Pan C, Bartley LE. Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis Gene Expression Precedes Lignin Accumulation During Shoot Development in Lowland and Upland Switchgrass Genotypes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:640930. [PMID: 34434200 PMCID: PMC8380989 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.640930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Efficient conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels is influenced by biomass composition and structure. Lignin and other cell wall phenylpropanoids, such as para-coumaric acid (pCA) and ferulic acid (FA), reduce cell wall sugar accessibility and hamper biochemical fuel production. Toward identifying the timing and key parameters of cell wall recalcitrance across different switchgrass genotypes, this study measured cell wall composition and lignin biosynthesis gene expression in three switchgrass genotypes, A4 and AP13, representing the lowland ecotype, and VS16, representing the upland ecotype, at three developmental stages [Vegetative 3 (V3), Elongation 4 (E4), and Reproductive 3 (R3)] and three segments (S1-S3) of the E4 stage under greenhouse conditions. A decrease in cell wall digestibility and an increase in phenylpropanoids occur across development. Compared with AP13 and A4, VS16 has significantly less lignin and greater cell wall digestibility at the V3 and E4 stages; however, differences among genotypes diminish by the R3 stage. Gini correlation analysis across all genotypes revealed that lignin and pCA, but also pectin monosaccharide components, show the greatest negative correlations with digestibility. Lignin and pCA accumulation is delayed compared with expression of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis genes, while FA accumulation coincides with expression of these genes. The different cell wall component accumulation profiles and gene expression correlations may have implications for system biology approaches to identify additional gene products with cell wall component synthesis and regulation functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasenjit Saha
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Fan Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Sandra Thibivilliers
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Yi Xiong
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Chongle Pan
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- School of Computer Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Laura E. Bartley
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
- Research Institute for the Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
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8
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de Vries L, Guevara-Rozo S, Cho M, Liu LY, Renneckar S, Mansfield SD. Tailoring renewable materials via plant biotechnology. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:167. [PMID: 34353358 PMCID: PMC8344217 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-02010-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plants inherently display a rich diversity in cell wall chemistry, as they synthesize an array of polysaccharides along with lignin, a polyphenolic that can vary dramatically in subunit composition and interunit linkage complexity. These same cell wall chemical constituents play essential roles in our society, having been isolated by a variety of evolving industrial processes and employed in the production of an array of commodity products to which humans are reliant. However, these polymers are inherently synthesized and intricately packaged into complex structures that facilitate plant survival and adaptation to local biogeoclimatic regions and stresses, not for ease of deconstruction and commercial product development. Herein, we describe evolving techniques and strategies for altering the metabolic pathways related to plant cell wall biosynthesis, and highlight the resulting impact on chemistry, architecture, and polymer interactions. Furthermore, this review illustrates how these unique targeted cell wall modifications could significantly extend the number, diversity, and value of products generated in existing and emerging biorefineries. These modifications can further target the ability for processing of engineered wood into advanced high performance materials. In doing so, we attempt to illuminate the complex connection on how polymer chemistry and structure can be tailored to advance renewable material applications, using all the chemical constituents of plant-derived biopolymers, including pectins, hemicelluloses, cellulose, and lignins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne de Vries
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI , 53726, USA
| | - Sydne Guevara-Rozo
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - MiJung Cho
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Li-Yang Liu
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Scott Renneckar
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Shawn D Mansfield
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI , 53726, USA.
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Ambaye TG, Vaccari M, Bonilla-Petriciolet A, Prasad S, van Hullebusch ED, Rtimi S. Emerging technologies for biofuel production: A critical review on recent progress, challenges and perspectives. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 290:112627. [PMID: 33991767 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Due to increasing anthropogenic activities, especially industry and transport, the fossil fuel demand and consumption have increased proportionally, causing serious environmental issues. This attracted researchers and scientists to develop new alternative energy sources. Therefore, this review covers the biofuel production potential and challenges related to various feedstocks and advances in process technologies. It has been concluded that the biofuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, bio-oil, syngas, Fischer-Tropsch H2, and methane produced from crop plant residues, micro- and macroalgae and other biomass wastes using thermo-bio-chemical processes are an eco-friendly route for an energy source. Biofuels production and their uses in industries and transportation considerably minimize fossil fuel dependence. Literature analysis showed that biofuels generated from energy crops and microalgae could be the most efficient and attractive process. Recent progress in the field of biofuels using genetic engineering has larger perspectives in commercial-scale production. However, its large-scale production is still challenging; hence, to resolve this problem, it is essential to convert biomass in biofuels by developing novel technology to increase biofuel production to fulfil the current and future energy demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teklit Gebregiorgis Ambaye
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123, Brescia, Italy; Mekelle University, Department of Chemistry, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
| | - Mentore Vaccari
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Shiv Prasad
- Centre for Environment Science &Climate Resilient Agriculture (CESCRA) Indian Agricultural Research Institute New Delhi, 110012, India
| | | | - Sami Rtimi
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Barnes WJ, Koj S, Black IM, Archer-Hartmann SA, Azadi P, Urbanowicz BR, Peña MJ, O'Neill MA. Protocols for isolating and characterizing polysaccharides from plant cell walls: a case study using rhamnogalacturonan-II. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:142. [PMID: 34158109 PMCID: PMC8218411 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01992-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In plants, a large diversity of polysaccharides comprise the cell wall. Each major type of plant cell wall polysaccharide, including cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin, has distinct structures and functions that contribute to wall mechanics and influence plant morphogenesis. In recent years, pectin valorization has attracted much attention due to its expanding roles in biomass deconstruction, food and material science, and environmental remediation. However, pectin utilization has been limited by our incomplete knowledge of its structure. Herein, we present a workflow of principles relevant for the characterization of polysaccharide primary structure using nature's most complex polysaccharide, rhamnogalacturonan-II (RG-II), as a model. RESULTS We outline how to isolate RG-II from celery and duckweed cell walls and from red wine using chemical or enzymatic treatments coupled with size-exclusion chromatography. From there, we applied mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques to determine the glycosyl residue and linkage compositions of the intact RG-II and derived oligosaccharides including special considerations for labile monosaccharides. In doing so, we demonstrated that in the duckweed Wolffiella repanda the arabinopyranosyl (Arap) residue of side chain B is substituted at O-2 with rhamnose. We used electrospray-MS techniques to identify non-glycosyl modifications including methyl-ethers, methyl-esters, and acetyl-esters on RG-II-derived oligosaccharides. We then showed the utility of proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR) to investigate the structure of intact RG-II and to complement the RG-II dimerization studies performed using size-exclusion chromatography. CONCLUSIONS The complexity of pectic polysaccharide structures has hampered efforts aimed at their valorization. In this work, we used RG-II as a model to demonstrate the steps necessary to isolate and characterize polysaccharides using chromatographic, MS, and NMR techniques. The principles can be applied to the characterization of other saccharide structures and will help inform researchers on how saccharide structure relates to functional properties in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Barnes
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Sabina Koj
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Ian M Black
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | | | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Breeanna R Urbanowicz
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
- The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Maria J Peña
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Malcolm A O'Neill
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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11
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Li F, Foucat L, Bonnin E. Effect of solid loading on the behaviour of pectin-degrading enzymes. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:107. [PMID: 33910612 PMCID: PMC8082855 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-021-01957-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pectin plays a role in the recalcitrance of plant biomass by affecting the accessibility of other cell wall components to enzymatic degradation. Elimination of pectin consequently has a positive impact on the saccharification of pectin-rich biomass. This work thus focused on the behaviour of different pectin-degrading enzymes in the presence of low (5%) to high (35%) solid loading of lemon peel. RESULTS High solid loading of lemon peel affected pectin solubilisation differently depending on the pectinase used. Pectin lyase was less sensitive to a reduction of water content than was a mixture of endopolygalacturonase and pectin methylesterase, regardless of whether or not the latter's mode of action is processive or not. Marked changes in water mobility were observed along with enzymatic degradation depending on the enzyme used. However, the pectin lyase resulted in less pronounced shifts in water distribution than polygalacturonase-pectin methylesterase mixtures. At similar pectin concentration, pectin solutions hindered the diffusion of hydrolases more than the solid substrate. This can be attributed to the high viscosity of the highly concentrated pectin solutions while the solid substrate may provide continuous diffusion paths through pores. CONCLUSIONS The increase in solid substrate loading reduced the efficiency of pectin-degrading enzymes catalysing hydrolysis more significantly than those catalysing β-elimination. LF-NMR experiments highlighted the impact of solid loading on water mobility. Compared to other enzymes and whatever the solid loading, pectin lyase led to longer relaxation times linked with the most destructuration of the solid substrate. This new information could benefit the biorefinery processing of pectin-rich plant material when enzymes are used in the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Li
- INRAE, UR 1268, Biopolymers Interactions Assemblies BIA, F-44316, Nantes, France
- School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, People's Republic of China
| | - Loïc Foucat
- INRAE, UR 1268, Biopolymers Interactions Assemblies BIA, F-44316, Nantes, France
- INRAE, BIBS facility, F-44316, Nantes, France
| | - Estelle Bonnin
- INRAE, UR 1268, Biopolymers Interactions Assemblies BIA, F-44316, Nantes, France.
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Tingley JP, Low KE, Xing X, Abbott DW. Combined whole cell wall analysis and streamlined in silico carbohydrate-active enzyme discovery to improve biocatalytic conversion of agricultural crop residues. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2021; 14:16. [PMID: 33422151 PMCID: PMC7797155 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01869-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The production of biofuels as an efficient source of renewable energy has received considerable attention due to increasing energy demands and regulatory incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Second-generation biofuel feedstocks, including agricultural crop residues generated on-farm during annual harvests, are abundant, inexpensive, and sustainable. Unlike first-generation feedstocks, which are enriched in easily fermentable carbohydrates, crop residue cell walls are highly resistant to saccharification, fermentation, and valorization. Crop residues contain recalcitrant polysaccharides, including cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins, and lignin and lignin-carbohydrate complexes. In addition, their cell walls can vary in linkage structure and monosaccharide composition between plant sources. Characterization of total cell wall structure, including high-resolution analyses of saccharide composition, linkage, and complex structures using chromatography-based methods, nuclear magnetic resonance, -omics, and antibody glycome profiling, provides critical insight into the fine chemistry of feedstock cell walls. Furthermore, improving both the catalytic potential of microbial communities that populate biodigester reactors and the efficiency of pre-treatments used in bioethanol production may improve bioconversion rates and yields. Toward this end, knowledge and characterization of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) involved in dynamic biomass deconstruction is pivotal. Here we overview the use of common "-omics"-based methods for the study of lignocellulose-metabolizing communities and microorganisms, as well as methods for annotation and discovery of CAZymes, and accurate prediction of CAZyme function. Emerging approaches for analysis of large datasets, including metagenome-assembled genomes, are also discussed. Using complementary glycomic and meta-omic methods to characterize agricultural residues and the microbial communities that digest them provides promising streams of research to maximize value and energy extraction from crop waste streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey P Tingley
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403-1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada
| | - Kristin E Low
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403-1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - Xiaohui Xing
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403-1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - D Wade Abbott
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 5403-1st Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada.
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13
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Breeding Targets to Improve Biomass Quality in Miscanthus. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26020254. [PMID: 33419100 PMCID: PMC7825460 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Lignocellulosic crops are attractive bioresources for energy and chemicals production within a sustainable, carbon circular society. Miscanthus is one of the perennial grasses that exhibits great potential as a dedicated feedstock for conversion to biobased products in integrated biorefineries. The current biorefinery strategies are primarily focused on polysaccharide valorization and require severe pretreatments to overcome the lignin barrier. The need for such pretreatments represents an economic burden and impacts the overall sustainability of the biorefinery. Hence, increasing its efficiency has been a topic of great interest. Inversely, though pretreatment will remain an essential step, there is room to reduce its severity by optimizing the biomass composition rendering it more exploitable. Extensive studies have examined the miscanthus cell wall structures in great detail, and pinpointed those components that affect biomass digestibility under various pretreatments. Although lignin content has been identified as the most important factor limiting cell wall deconstruction, the effect of polysaccharides and interaction between the different constituents play an important role as well. The natural variation that is available within different miscanthus species and increased understanding of biosynthetic cell wall pathways have specified the potential to create novel accessions with improved digestibility through breeding or genetic modification. This review discusses the contribution of the main cell wall components on biomass degradation in relation to hydrothermal, dilute acid and alkaline pretreatments. Furthermore, traits worth advancing through breeding will be discussed in light of past, present and future breeding efforts.
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Li M, Pu Y, Chen F, Ragauskas AJ. Synthesis and Characterization of Lignin-grafted-poly(ε-caprolactone) from Different Biomass Sources. N Biotechnol 2020; 60:189-199. [PMID: 33130025 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Modification of lignin with poly(ε-caprolactone) is a promising approach to valorize industrial low-value lignins and to advance the bioeconomy. We have synthesized lignin grafted poly(ε-caprolactone) (lignin-g-PCL) copolymers via ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone with different types of lignins of varying botanical sources (G-type pine lignin, S/G-type poplar lignin, and C-type Vanilla seeds lignin) and lignin extraction methods (Kraft and ethanol organosolv pulping). The lignin-g-PCL copolymer showed remarkably improved compatibility and dispersion in acetone, chloroform, and toluene in comparison to non-modified lignins. The structure and thermal properties of the lignin-g-PCL were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 2D heteronuclear single quantum correlation (HSQC) NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). We have found that all the technical lignins were reactive to the copolymerization reaction regardless of their plant source and isolation methods. The molecular weights of the synthesized lignin-g-PCL copolymers were positively correlated with the content of aliphatic lignin hydroxyls, suggesting that the copolymerization reaction tends to occur preferentially at the aliphatic hydroxyls rather than the phenolic hydroxyls of lignin. Thermal analyses of the lignin-g-PCL copolymers were studied, and in general, a reduction of melting temperature and crystallinity percentage in comparison to the neat PCL was observed. However, the thermal behavior of lignin-g-PCL copolymers varied depending on the lignin feedstocks employed in the copolymerization reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Li
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Center for Renewable Carbon, The University of Tennessee Institution of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Yunqiao Pu
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Fang Chen
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76203, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Center for Renewable Carbon, The University of Tennessee Institution of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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15
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Belay ZA, Caleb OJ, Vorster A, van Heerden C, Opara UL. Transcriptomic changes associated with husk scald incidence on pomegranate fruit peel during cold storage. Food Res Int 2020; 135:109285. [PMID: 32527480 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pomegranate fruit is valued for its social, economic, aesthetic and health benefits. The fruit rapidly loses quality after harvest due to continued metabolic responses and physiological disorders under sub-optimal conditions. The incidence of physiological disorder such as husk scald manifests during storage and commercial shipping, which affects the appearance and limits marketability. Despite the importance of pomegranate husk scald, little information is available about the origin and molecular mechanisms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the scald incidence of pomegranate fruit at molecular level using RNA-Seq (Ion Proton™ Next Generation Sequencing) by analyzing peel transcriptomic changes. The RNA-seq analysis generated 98,441,278 raw reads. 652 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) with a fold change of > |2|, a p value ≤ 0.05 and a false discovery rate (FDR) of <0.05 were identified between healthy and scald fruit peels. An analysis of the gene ontologies of these DEGs revealed the 432 genes were assigned with molecular functions, 272 as cellular components and 205 as part of biological processes. In this analysis, genes (Pgr023188 and Pgr025081) that encode uncharacterized protein and gene (Pgr007593) that encodes glycosyltransferase showed significantly highest fold changes. Genes (Pgr003448, Pgr006024 and Pgr023696) involved in various iron binding and oxidoreductase activities were significantly suppressed. This is the first transcriptome analysis of pomegranate fruit peel related to husk scald development. Results obtained from this study will add valuable information on husk scald related changes on pomegranate fruit at genomic level and provide insight on other related physiological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinash A Belay
- Postharvest Technology Research Laboratory, South African Research Chair in Postharvest Technology, Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Oluwafemi J Caleb
- Agri-Food Systems and Omics Laboratory, Post-Harvest and Agro-Processing Technologies (PHATs), Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch 7599, South Africa
| | - Alvera Vorster
- The Central Analytical Facilities (CAF), The DNA-sequencing Unit, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Carel van Heerden
- The Central Analytical Facilities (CAF), The DNA-sequencing Unit, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Umezuruike Linus Opara
- Postharvest Technology Research Laboratory, South African Research Chair in Postharvest Technology, Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa.
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16
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Gigli-Bisceglia N, Engelsdorf T, Hamann T. Plant cell wall integrity maintenance in model plants and crop species-relevant cell wall components and underlying guiding principles. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:2049-2077. [PMID: 31781810 PMCID: PMC7256069 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03388-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The walls surrounding the cells of all land-based plants provide mechanical support essential for growth and development as well as protection from adverse environmental conditions like biotic and abiotic stress. Composition and structure of plant cell walls can differ markedly between cell types, developmental stages and species. This implies that wall composition and structure are actively modified during biological processes and in response to specific functional requirements. Despite extensive research in the area, our understanding of the regulatory processes controlling active and adaptive modifications of cell wall composition and structure is still limited. One of these regulatory processes is the cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism, which monitors and maintains the functional integrity of the plant cell wall during development and interaction with environment. It is an important element in plant pathogen interaction and cell wall plasticity, which seems at least partially responsible for the limited success that targeted manipulation of cell wall metabolism has achieved so far. Here, we provide an overview of the cell wall polysaccharides forming the bulk of plant cell walls in both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants and the effects their impairment can have. We summarize our current knowledge regarding the cell wall integrity maintenance mechanism and discuss that it could be responsible for several of the mutant phenotypes observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Gigli-Bisceglia
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, 6708 PB, The Netherlands
| | - Timo Engelsdorf
- Division of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, Philipps University of Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Hamann
- Institute for Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 5 Høgskoleringen, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
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17
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Wang Y, Fan L, Tuyishime P, Liu J, Zhang K, Gao N, Zhang Z, Ni X, Feng J, Yuan Q, Ma H, Zheng P, Sun J, Ma Y. Adaptive laboratory evolution enhances methanol tolerance and conversion in engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum. Commun Biol 2020; 3:217. [PMID: 32382107 PMCID: PMC7205612 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-0954-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic methylotrophy has recently been intensively studied to achieve methanol-based biomanufacturing of fuels and chemicals. However, attempts to engineer platform microorganisms to utilize methanol mainly focus on enzyme and pathway engineering. Herein, we enhanced methanol bioconversion of synthetic methylotrophs by improving cellular tolerance to methanol. A previously engineered methanol-dependent Corynebacterium glutamicum is subjected to adaptive laboratory evolution with elevated methanol content. Unexpectedly, the evolved strain not only tolerates higher concentrations of methanol but also shows improved growth and methanol utilization. Transcriptome analysis suggests increased methanol concentrations rebalance methylotrophic metabolism by down-regulating glycolysis and up-regulating amino acid biosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, ribosome biosynthesis, and parts of TCA cycle. Mutations in the O-acetyl-l-homoserine sulfhydrylase Cgl0653 catalyzing formation of l-methionine analog from methanol and methanol-induced membrane-bound transporter Cgl0833 are proven crucial for methanol tolerance. This study demonstrates the importance of tolerance engineering in developing superior synthetic methylotrophs. Wang et al. improve the methanol tolerance for the synthetic methylotroph, Corynebacterium glutamicum. They generate 3 new strains by directed evolution and use biochemical, transcriptomic, and genetic approaches to characterize the pathways underlying the enhanced methanol metabolism. Their findings are important for biomanufacturing purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Liwen Fan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Philibert Tuyishime
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Jiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ning Gao
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhihui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaomeng Ni
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Jinhui Feng
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Qianqian Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Hongwu Ma
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Ping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jibin Sun
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Yanhe Ma
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
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18
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Yoo CG, Meng X, Pu Y, Ragauskas AJ. The critical role of lignin in lignocellulosic biomass conversion and recent pretreatment strategies: A comprehensive review. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 301:122784. [PMID: 31980318 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneity and rigidity of lignocellulose causing resistance to its deconstruction have provided technical and economic challenges in the current biomass conversion processes. Lignin has been considered as a crucial recalcitrance component in biomass utilization. An in-depth understanding of lignin properties and their influences on biomass conversion can provide clues to improve biomass utilization. Also, utilization of lignin can significantly increase the economic viability of biorefinery. Recent lignin-targeting pretreatments have aimed not only to overcome recalcitrance for biomass conversion but also to selectively fractionate lignin for lignin valorization. Numerous studies have been conducted in biomass characteristics and conversion technologies, and the role of lignin is critical for lignin valorization and biomass pretreatment development. This review provides a comprehensive review of lignin-related biomass characteristics, the impact of lignin on the biological conversion of biomass, and recent lignin-targeting pretreatment strategies. The desired lignin properties in biorefinery and future pretreatment directions are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Geun Yoo
- Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Xianzhi Meng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA
| | - Yunqiao Pu
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA; Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA; Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Center of Renewable Carbon, The University of Tennessee, Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN 37996-2200, USA.
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19
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Brandon AG, Scheller HV. Engineering of Bioenergy Crops: Dominant Genetic Approaches to Improve Polysaccharide Properties and Composition in Biomass. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:282. [PMID: 32218797 PMCID: PMC7078332 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale, sustainable production of lignocellulosic bioenergy from biomass will depend on a variety of dedicated bioenergy crops. Despite their great genetic diversity, prospective bioenergy crops share many similarities in the polysaccharide composition of their cell walls, and the changes needed to optimize them for conversion are largely universal. Therefore, biomass modification strategies that do not depend on genetic background or require mutant varieties are extremely valuable. Due to their preferential fermentation and conversion by microorganisms downstream, the ideal bioenergy crop should contain a high proportion of C6-sugars in polysaccharides like cellulose, callose, galactan, and mixed-linkage glucans. In addition, the biomass should be reduced in inhibitors of fermentation like pentoses and acetate. Finally, the overall complexity of the plant cell wall should be modified to reduce its recalcitrance to enzymatic deconstruction in ways that do no compromise plant health or come at a yield penalty. This review will focus on progress in the use of a variety of genetically dominant strategies to reach these ideals. Due to the breadth and volume of research in the field of lignin bioengineering, this review will instead focus on approaches to improve polysaccharide component plant biomass. Carbohydrate content can be dramatically increased by transgenic overexpression of enzymes involved in cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis. Additionally, the recalcitrance of the cell wall can be reduced via the overexpression of native or non-native carbohydrate active enzymes like glycosyl hydrolases or carbohydrate esterases. Some research in this area has focused on engineering plants that accumulate cell wall-degrading enzymes that are sequestered to organelles or only active at very high temperatures. The rationale being that, in order to avoid potential negative effects of cell wall modification during plant growth, the enzymes could be activated post-harvest, and post-maturation of the cell wall. A potentially significant limitation of this approach is that at harvest, the cell wall is heavily lignified, making the substrates for these enzymes inaccessible and their activity ineffective. Therefore, this review will only include research employing enzymes that are at least partially active under the ambient conditions of plant growth and cell wall development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G. Brandon
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Henrik V. Scheller
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, United States
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
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20
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ARABIDOPSIS DEHISCENCE ZONE POLYGALACTURONASE 1 (ADPG1) releases latent defense signals in stems with reduced lignin content. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:3281-3290. [PMID: 31974310 PMCID: PMC7022211 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1914422117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
There is considerable interest in engineering plant cell wall components, particularly lignin, to improve forage quality and biomass properties for processing to fuels and bioproducts. However, modifying lignin content and/or composition in transgenic plants through down-regulation of lignin biosynthetic enzymes can induce expression of defense response genes in the absence of biotic or abiotic stress. Arabidopsis thaliana lines with altered lignin through down-regulation of hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) or loss of function of cinnamoyl CoA reductase 1 (CCR1) express a suite of pathogenesis-related (PR) protein genes. The plants also exhibit extensive cell wall remodeling associated with induction of multiple cell wall-degrading enzymes, a process which renders the corresponding biomass a substrate for growth of the cellulolytic thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor bescii lacking a functional pectinase gene cluster. The cell wall remodeling also results in the release of size- and charge-heterogeneous pectic oligosaccharide elicitors of PR gene expression. Genetic analysis shows that both in planta PR gene expression and release of elicitors are the result of ectopic expression in xylem of the gene ARABIDOPSIS DEHISCENCE ZONE POLYGALACTURONASE 1 (ADPG1), which is normally expressed during anther and silique dehiscence. These data highlight the importance of pectin in cell wall integrity and the value of lignin modification as a tool to interrogate the informational content of plant cell walls.
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21
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Meng X, Crestini C, Ben H, Hao N, Pu Y, Ragauskas AJ, Argyropoulos DS. Determination of hydroxyl groups in biorefinery resources via quantitative 31P NMR spectroscopy. Nat Protoc 2019; 14:2627-2647. [PMID: 31391578 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-019-0191-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of chemical structural characteristics of biorefinery product streams (such as lignin and tannin) has advanced substantially over the past decade, with traditional wet-chemical techniques being replaced or supplemented by NMR methodologies. Quantitative 31P NMR spectroscopy is a promising technique for the analysis of hydroxyl groups because of its unique characterization capability and broad potential applicability across the biorefinery research community. This protocol describes procedures for (i) the preparation/solubilization of lignin and tannin, (ii) the phosphitylation of their hydroxyl groups, (iii) NMR acquisition details, and (iv) the ensuing data analyses and means to precisely calculate the content of the different types of hydroxyl groups. Compared with traditional wet-chemical techniques, the technique of quantitative 31P NMR spectroscopy offers unique advantages in measuring hydroxyl groups in a single spectrum with high signal resolution. The method provides complete quantitative information about the hydroxyl groups with small amounts of sample (~30 mg) within a relatively short experimental time (~30-120 min).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhi Meng
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Claudia Crestini
- Department of Molecular Science and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy.
| | - Haoxi Ben
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Naijia Hao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Yunqiao Pu
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA. .,Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN, USA. .,Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, Center of Renewable Carbon, The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Dimitris S Argyropoulos
- Departments of Chemistry and Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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