by Sonia Fernandez (University of California – Santa Barbara/Phys.Org) It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. In this case, the “job” is the breakdown of lignin, the
Tag "plant cell walls"
(U.S. Department of Energy) Lignin and cellulose are polymers—large molecules made up of repeating modules—that are situated in a tangled braid, along with some other polymers, within the plant cell wall.
by Ajaya K. Biswal, Neal N. Hengge, Ian M. Black, Melani A. Atmodjo, Sushree S. Mohanty, David Ryno, Michael E. Himmel, Parastoo Azadi, Yannick J. Bomble & Debra Mohnen (Biotechnology
(Louisiana State University Chemistry) As the world searches for and demands more sustainable sources of energy and materials, plant biomass may provide the solution by serving as a renewable resource for
by Raj Shah and Amanda Loo (altenergymag.com/Koehler Instrument Company) Wastes from fields and wastes from processing are the two kinds of agricultural wastes. Field wastes are present after harvesting crops
by Sonia Fernandez (University of California – Santa Barbara/Phys.Org) … “This has been the longest single effort in my lab,” said (Michelle) O’Malley, who with her research team way back in

University of Georgia Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Department and the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center’s GTP Seminar Series Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 12:30 pm ET https://www.ccrc.uga.edu/seminars/index.php www.ccrc.uga.edu
by Jamie Oberdick (Pennsylvania State University/Phys.Org) A multi-institutional research group led by two Penn State faculty members has identified, for the first time, how cellulose crystals orient themselves relative to the
by Tina Casey (Triple Pundit) … (T)there are reasons to be optimistic about the future of biofuels, as the field continues to evolve remarkably from where it was a decade ago. …
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new method to peer deep into the nanostructure of biomaterials without damaging the
by Michael Robin (Western Producer) Carbon from bigger crops and more robust plants like this hybrid canola, and their larger root systems, is being sequestered at higher rates than it
by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) … Lignin, a complex compound in cell walls, blocks access to plant carbohydrates that could be cleaved into sugars and then fermented into biofuels. The
by Holly Ober (Univesity of California Riverside News) Researchers combine supercomputing with nano-imaging to reveal how to efficiently break down plant biomass and transform it into transportation fuels — … In
by Anne M Stark (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Plant cell walls contain a renewable, nearly limitless supply of sugar that can be used in the production of chemicals and biofuels. However, retrieving
(U.S. Department of Energy/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) Berkeley Lab scientists adapt open-source genetic analysis method for use in plant cells for the first time — An open-source RNA analysis platform has been
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Biodiesel Magazine) Scientists studying plant biochemistry at the U.S. DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered new details about biomolecules that put the brakes on oil production. The findings suggest
(Phys.Org/Pennsylvania State University) A comprehensive look at how plants build cellulose, the primary building block of the walls of most plant cells that is used in a wide variety of manmade
(University of Georgia/Biomass Magazine) A research team led by the University of Georgia has discovered that manipulation of the same gene in poplar trees and switchgrass produced plants that grow better
(Phys.Org/Rothamsted Research) … But now a multinational team of researchers, from the UK, Brazil and the US, has pinpointed a gene involved in the stiffening of cell walls whose suppression increased
(U.S. Department of Energy) Added sugar takes on a whole new meaning in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) work to uncover the secrets behind one of nature’s most powerful tools—cellulose-degrading
(U.S. Department of Energy) Introduced traits remain stable, improving biofuel production in a field setting. — … Near-term fossil fuel alternatives could reduce carbon emissions and ensure U.S. energy
(Phys.Org/University of York) Researchers from the University of York and the Quadram Institute have unlocked the genetic secrets of plant cell walls, which could help improve the quality of plant-based
(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) A major bottleneck hindering cost-effective production of biofuels and many valuable chemicals is the difficulty of breaking down cellulose—an important structural component of plant cell walls.
edited by John Love and John A. Bryant (Wiley-Blackwell) With increased public and scientific attention driven by factors such as oil price spikes, the need for increased energy security, and
(Washington State University/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found a new way to define the molecular structure of cellulose, which could lead to
Proteins Interactions Hold Key for Maximizing Oil Production in Plants for Biofuels and Biomaterials
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Lab Manager) Findings point to new biochemical strategies for increasing oil yield from crops grown to produce biofuels and biomaterials — … By exploring the details of this
(Algae Industry Magazine) On May 9 Yumiko Sakuragi from the Copenhagen Plant Science Centre will participate in the Danish IP fair in Industriens Hus, Copenhagen. Dr. Sakuragi will present her
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have released the largest-ever single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset of genetic variations in poplar trees,
(University of Cambridge) Molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair could hold the key to making possible wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to
(Ames Laboratory) A team of scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory will be developing new instrumentation aimed at determining the chemical and structural makeup of plant cell
(University of Tennessee) A UT-ORNL team led by Governor’s Chair Jeremy Smith is using supercomputing to figure out ways to ease the path of turning vegetation into biofuel. A huge barrier in
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/NewsWise) GreenWood Resources has licensed an Oak Ridge National Laboratory technology based on the discovery of a gene in poplar (Populus trichocarpa) that makes it easier to
(Sandia National Laboratories/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Abundant, chock full of energy and bound so tightly that the only way to release its energy is through combustion—lignin has frustrated scientists for years.
(Univesity of Adelaide) University of Adelaide researchers have made a breakthrough in investigating salt tolerance in plants which could lead to new salt tolerant varieties of crops, and also answer
(Phys.Org/Department of Energy) Soil fungi secrete a wide range of enzymes that play an important role in biofuel production and bioremediation of metal-contaminated soils and water. A recent study reveals
(Genetics Society of America/Biomass Magazine) The bioenergy crop sorghum holds great promise as a raw material for making environmentally friendly fuels and chemicals that offer alternatives to petroleum-based products. Sorghum
(Phys.Org) Plant cell walls, which constitute the bulk of plant biomass, are diverse, complex, and dynamic in their structural composition and integrity. Cell walls are innately resistant to deconstruction by
(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Fundamental enzyme study leads to increased access to bioenergy feedstocks and improves ethanol yield by modifying plant cell wall structures. Lignin is a natural component of plant
(University of Cambridge/University of Melbourne) In the search for low emission plant-based fuels, new research may help avoid having to choose between growing crops for food or fuel. Scientists have
(Phys.Org) … The team, including Professor Paul Walton and Professor Gideon Davies of the Department of Chemistry at York, today presents the first published molecular structure of one of the key
by Erik Ness (Grow) Lignin is a tough organic compound that gives plants like this poplar their structure—and it’s one of the biggest obstacles in breaking down plants to produce
by Melody M. Bomgardner (Chemical & Engineering News) Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute transform biomass into energy-rich fuel molecules — .. JBEI researchers are zeroing in on concepts that
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/NewsWise) Lignin–hemicellulose simulation demonstrates potential for predictive modeling using NAMD — Turning trees, grass, and other biomass into fuel for automobiles and airplanes is a costly and
by Rick Kubetz (Phys.Org) Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have, for the first time, uncovered the complex interdependence and orchestration of metabolic reactions, gene regulation, and environmental
by Cherie Winner (Pennsylvania State University) By virtue of their chloroplasts, plants are superb harvesters of solar energy. They use it to build leaves, flowers, fruits, stems, and roots. We harvest
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, new research may advance our understanding of “how the relative proportions of biopolymers,” like lignin, “are controlled in plant tissue”. The study, led
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) Purdue University researchers said Wednesday they have discovered the structure of the enzyme that makes cellulose, a finding that could make it easier to break
(Joint BioEnergy Institute/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute have unveiled the first glycosyltransferase clone collection specifically targeted for the study of the biosynthesis of plant
by Aaron Dubrow (National Science Foundation) Researchers use NSF-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve catalysts for conversion Scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using the National Science Foundation-supported Stampede supercomputer
by Phillip Fiorini and Cynthia Sequin (Purdue University) Purdue University researchers are launching a company focusing on an innovative process that could revolutionize how lignocellulosic biomass is used to make biofuels and
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Biodiesel Magazine) Scientists at the U.S. DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have identified the key genes required for oil production and accumulation in plant leaves and other vegetative plant
by Kim McDonald (University of California at San Diego) New discoveries of the way plants transport important substances across their biological membranes to resist toxic metals and pests, increase salt and
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) When blessed with a resource in overwhelming abundance it’s generally a good idea to make valuable use of that resource. Lignocellulosic biomass is
by James Hataway (University of Georgia) When Li Tan approached his colleagues at the University of Georgia with some unusual data he had collected, they initially seemed convinced that his
(Algae Industry Magazine) Douglas Main reports on OurAmazingPlanet that researchers at Germany’s University of Bielefeld have discovered that when the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtiiis deprived of carbon dioxide, it can cannibalize other
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute are exploring new ways to meet the challenge of recalcitrant cellulosic feedstocks and lower the cost of biomass-based
(EScienceNews.com) Galactan is a polymer of galactose, a six-carbon sugar that can be readily fermented by yeast into ethanol and is a target of interest for researchers in advanced biofuels
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) …University of Virginia researchers Jochen Zimmer, Jacob Morgan and Joanna Strumillo wrote a paper entitled “Crystallographic snapshot of cellulose synthesis and membrane translocation.” It
(ScienceCodex.com) …Pectic compounds decorated with β-1,4-galactan (a chain of six-carbon sugars) are of considerable interest to the biofuels industry, because six-carbon sugars are readily converted into ethanol (biofuel) by fermenting
(US Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Breakthrough could help optimize capture of sugars for biofuels Scientists at the U.S.
Shi-You Ding, Yu-San Liu, Yining Zeng, Michael E. Himmel, John O. Baker, Edward A. Bayer (Science Magazine) Greater understanding of the
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Joint BioEnergy Institute Researchers Find New Access to Abundant Biomass for Advanced Biofuels
by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 4th Nordic Wood Biorefinery conference held in Helsinki, Finland (October 23-25, 2012) brought
Hui Shen, Xianzhi He, Charleson R. Poovaiah, Wegi A. Wuddineh, Junying Ma, David G. J. Mann, Huanzhong Wang, Lisa Jackson, Yuhong Tang, C. Neal Stewart Jr, Fang Chen, Richard A.
Huanzhong Wang, Utku Avci, Jin Nakashima, Michael G. Hahn, Fang Chen, and Richard A. Dixon (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
(R&D Magazine) Pioneering mass spectrometry methods developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Ames Laboratory are helping plant biologists
(ECNMag.com) Engineered enzyme alters cell wall composition in ways that could make it easier to convert plant biomass into biofuels
Thomas Content (Journal Sentinel) C5-6 Technologies of Middleton and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center in Madison are celebrating a
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Key proteins have been identified in a family of bacteria that help the microbes
(EurekAlert/Iowa State University) Genetic mutations to cellulose in plants could improve the conversion of cellulosic biomass into biofuels, according
(EurekAlert/Stanford University) Along with photosynthesis, the plant cell wall is one of the features that most set plants apart from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …Some of the first American visitors to Yellowstone, who began to record their journeys
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …But the New Agriculture has arisen in recent years, with new solutions to the old
(Science Daily) …But how the sucrose produced in the leaves via photosynthesis is delivered to the transporters that move it
by Charis M. Cook, Arsalan Daudi, David J. Millar, Laurence V. Bindschedler, Safina Khan, G. Paul Bolwell, Alessandra Devoto (Science Direct) In this study, an EST library
by Dr. Maureen McCann (Professor, Purdue University) Dr. McCann begins by describing the different plant cell wall architectures belonging to
by Dr. Mark Davis (BioEnergy Science Center, National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Dr. Davis discusses a multidisciplinary approach
by Karen McNulty Walsh (Brookhaven National Laboratory/RenewableEnergyWorld) Understanding how lignin building blocks are transported could break down barriers to biofuel
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) By imaging the cell walls of a zinnia leaf down to the nanometer scale, energy researchers
by Heather Lammers, NREL (Renewable Energy World) Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and ethanol producers are racing
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The newly funded Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation at Pennsylvania State University will
Wood with altered properties and cheaper ethanol through more efficient production are two possibilities as a result of a find