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.
Highlights
Reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable due to climate change (IPCC, 2018)
It is synthesized at the plasma membrane where a hexameric rosette of cellulose synthase proteins form the cellulose synthase complex which catalyzes the biogenesis of multiple cellulose polymers (Kimura et al, 1999)
Lee et al (2007), who propose a model in which the reducing end sequence (RES) acts as a primer, argue that the fact that PARVUS, a protein necessary for RES synthesis, is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) rather than the Golgi apparatus provides evidence favoring the RES acting as a primer for xylan biosynthesis
Summary
Reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable due to climate change (IPCC, 2018). One alternative energy source with the potential to mitigate damage caused by climate change is biofuel. Support for the transition away from fossil fuels and toward biofuels is bolstered by the potential stimulation of rural economies (Kleinschmidt, 2007; Somerville, 2007). Corn is the main source of bioethanol in the United States, but only reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 13% (Farrell et al, 2006). The chemical properties and ubiquity of the secondary cell wall (SCW) have led to the SCW being marked as a biofuel source of interest. A comprehensive understanding of SCW biosynthesis is critical to optimize the chemical composition of the SCW for biofuel production
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