All articles tagged with #lignin
Scientists at Ohio State University have used CRISPR editing to genetically modify trees and design wood with lignin that is more suitable for fiber production. The research aims to increase the efficiency and productivity of wood fiber production to meet the growing demand for renewable tissue, paper, packaging, textile, and other fiber products.
Researchers at the University of California – Santa Barbara have discovered that anaerobic fungi can break down tough, woody lignin in plant waste, which could be converted into biofuels and other commodity chemicals. The fungi, Neocallimastigomycetes, can extract cellulose and hemicellulose from plant biomass without the need for pre-treatment. The team tracked the progress of the fungi as they broke down the plants’ rigid cell walls and identified specific lignin bond breakages in the absence of oxygen. The next challenge is to find out exactly how the fungi break down the lignin.