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Wood characteristics and enzymatic saccharification efficiency of field-grown transgenic black cottonwood with altered lignin content and structure

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Abstract

The impact of field-grown transgenic trees on wood characteristics and enzymatic saccharification was evaluated. Genes 4CL and CAld5H were down regulated or overexpressed to modify the lignin content or structure (S/V ratio) on black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa Nisqually-1). These transgenic trees were grown in the real environment and evaluated after 2 and 3 years. The results exhibited that the lignin content for most of the transgenic black cottonwoods increased compared to their initial lignin content when grown inside the greenhouse. The lignin contents approached those of the wild types. Acid and green-liquor pretreatments were applied to the transgenic wood saw dust samples. Cellulase mediated saccharifications were then conducted for the pretreated and untreated samples. Sugar yield and carbohydrate saccharification efficiency of the enzymatic saccharification for most of the transgenic trees were observed to be higher than those of the wild types even though their lignin contents became similar.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by United States Department of Agriculture CSREES Grant (2009-10001-05113). The authors would like to give their appreciations to Dr. John King, Aletta Davis and Anna Stout for cultivating and harvesting the transgenic trees and valuable discussions. The authors are also grateful to Novozymes North America, Inc., for providing the enzymes used in this study.

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Author notes

  1. Zhouyang Xiang

    Present address: Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

    Zhouyang Xiang, Suman Kumar Sen, Aparna Roy, Douyong Min, Dhanalekshmi Savithri, Hasan Jameel & Hou-min Chang

  2. Forest Biotechnology Group, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

    Vincent Chiang

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  1. Zhouyang Xiang
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  2. Suman Kumar Sen
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Correspondence to Hasan Jameel.

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Xiang, Z., Sen, S.K., Roy, A. et al. Wood characteristics and enzymatic saccharification efficiency of field-grown transgenic black cottonwood with altered lignin content and structure. Cellulose 22, 683–693 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-014-0541-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-014-0541-7

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