Abstract
Cafferic acid-O-methyltransferases (COMT) down-regulated transgenic and wild-type switchgrass were separated into lignocresols (LCs) and sugars by a phase separation method involving 72% sulfuric acid and cresol. The isolated LCs were characterized by FTIR, GPC, 1H NMR and 2D-HSQC to understand potential structural modification caused by transgenic engineering lignin or phase separation treatment. No significant changes were found in terms of molecular weights and the amount of incorporated p-cresols between transgenic and wild-type switchgrass LCs. However, the compositions, ratios of syringyl (S) units to guaiacyl (G) units, were changed significantly leading to decrease in S units and increase in G units for transgenic switchgrass LC. The benzodioxane structures and 5-hydroxyguaiacyl units were observed in the 2D-HSQC implied that 5-hydroxyconiferyl alcohol was incorporated into lignin as a result of COMT-down-regulation in the transgenic process.
Highlights
In recent years, because of the rapid growth of the global population, rapid economic development, and improved standards of living, the demand for energy has increased dramatically worldwide [1].The use of fossil fuels increases the emission of harmful substances such as SO2, CO2, and dust, leading to exacerbated environmental pollution and global climate change [2]
Plant-based bioenergy has the advantages of less environmental pollution, renewable nature, potential low-cost, and wide applications [3], being considered as an ideal choice for the future energy generation [4]
(10 min, 20 min, 30 min, and 60 min) were selected to produce LCs from the transgenic and wild type samples. Both samples showed the maximum yield when the treatment time was 30 min in phase separation and the yields of LCs from transgenic and control switchgrass were 71.0% and 57.4%, respectively. This indicated that the yield of LCs was much higher than that from MWL, it was lower than the LCs yields from woody plants [11]
Summary
Because of the rapid growth of the global population, rapid economic development, and improved standards of living, the demand for energy has increased dramatically worldwide [1]. The use of fossil fuels increases the emission of harmful substances such as SO2 , CO2 , and dust, leading to exacerbated environmental pollution and global climate change [2]. How to overcome the energy shortage and environmental pollution has become a great challenge for the present and future. Renewable and clean energy has become the focus of attention. Plant-based bioenergy has the advantages of less environmental pollution, renewable nature, potential low-cost, and wide applications [3], being considered as an ideal choice for the future energy generation [4]. In the process of cellulosic ethanol production, cellulose and polysaccharides are hydrolyzed to fermentable sugars, whereas lignins are left over as insoluble residues that have not been utilized efficiently in a significant scale due to their complex structures
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