PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Field trial with lignin modified poplars shows potential for bio-based economy

But work still needs to be done

2013-12-31
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Wout Boerjan
wout.boerjan@psb.vib-ugent.be
32-475-411-984
VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)
Field trial with lignin modified poplars shows potential for bio-based economy But work still needs to be done The results of a field trial with genetically modified poplar trees in Zwijnaarde, Belgium, shows that the wood of lignin modified poplar trees can be converted into sugars in a more efficient way. These sugars can serve as the starting material for producing bio-based products like bio-plastics and bio-ethanol.

The results of the field trial have been published in a scientific article in which the results of a field trial of French colleagues of the INRA institute in Orleans have also been incorporated. The article has been published in the online edition of PNAS of 30 December 2013*.

The field trial however also showed that the suppression of the lignin biosynthesis in the trees is variable. In some trees the suppression is stronger than in other trees which is visible through a more pronounced red coloration of the wood beneath the bark. Some branches show almost no red coloration, others a spotty pattern and again other a full red coloration. The branches with the highest red coloration produce 160% more ethanol. On the whole the ethanol yield per gram of wood is 20% higher. This in itself is positive, except for the fact that the modified trees appear to grow somewhat less rapid than non-modified poplar trees.

Prof. Wout Boerjan: "The branches with the highest red coloration give us hope that we will be able to achieve our goal in the future. The biosynthesis of lignin is very complex. We will now search for modifications that provide a strong and uniform suppression of the lignin biosynthesis. Because in the meantime we are also getting a pretty good idea of what causes the growth retardation, we immediately will start to work on poplars that grow normal, but still have a stable suppression of the lignin production. It must be possible to improve the ethanol yield per tree with 50 to 100%."

In the poplar trees in the field trial in Zwijnaarde in Belgium the so-called 'CCR-enzyme' is suppressed. This enzyme plays a key role in the biosynthesis of lignin, but its suppression apparently does not lead to a uniform lowering of the amount of lignin. In a new field trial that VIB will start in Wetteren, Belgium, in 2014, trees will be tested in which another enzyme has been suppressed: the 'CAD-enzyme'. In these trees also a more modern way of suppression of the enzyme has been used. This new trial therefore fits into the search for modifications that provide a more uniform suppression of the lignin biosynthesis.

### * Van Acker et al., Improved saccharification and ethanol yield from field-grown transgenic poplar deficient in cinnamoyl-CoA reductase", PNAS Early Edition, December 30, 2013.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Most clinical studies on vitamins flawed by poor methodology

2013-12-31
Most clinical studies on vitamins flawed by poor methodology CORVALLIS, Ore. – Most large, clinical trials of vitamin supplements, including some that have concluded they are of no value or even harmful, have a flawed methodology that renders them largely ...

Molecular evolution of genetic sex-determination switch in honeybees

2013-12-31
Molecular evolution of genetic sex-determination switch in honeybees 5 amino acid differences separate males from females It's taken nearly 200 years, but scientists in Arizona and Europe have teased out how the molecular switch for sex gradually ...

Medicaid beneficiaries use emergency services due to lack of alternatives

2013-12-31
Medicaid beneficiaries use emergency services due to lack of alternatives AURORA, Colo. (Dec. 30, 2013) – A study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine shows patients with Medicaid insurance seeking care in an emergency department may be ...

Major reductions in seafloor marine life from climate change by 2100

2013-12-31
Major reductions in seafloor marine life from climate change by 2100 A new study quantifies for the first time future losses in deep-sea marine life, using advanced climate models. Results show that even the most remote deep-sea ecosystems ...

Contralateral needling at unblocked collaterals for post-stroke hemiplegia

2013-12-30
Contralateral needling at unblocked collaterals for post-stroke hemiplegia Hemiplegia caused by stroke indicates the dysfunctions of the neurological network between the brain and limbs. Under this condition, conventional acupuncture at the acupoints on the affected ...

First location of melatonin in caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus

2013-12-30
First location of melatonin in caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus Accumulating research indicates that melatonin has a major role in pain transmission and has an ultra-sensitizing effect. Dr. Fang Huang and colleagues from Sun Yat-sen University in China for the ...

Genetic background of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population

2013-12-30
Genetic background of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Chinese Han population A previous study of European Caucasian patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis demonstrated that a polymorphism in the microtubule-associated protein Tau ...

Earth's crust was unstable in the Archean eon and dripped down into the mantle

2013-12-30
Earth's crust was unstable in the Archean eon and dripped down into the mantle Model calculations indicate that the extreme density of the base of the thickened primary crust caused it to subside into the Earth's mantle Earth's mantle temperatures ...

Hebrew University researchers reach breakthrough on understanding persistent bacteria

2013-12-30
Hebrew University researchers reach breakthrough on understanding persistent bacteria Work can lead to improved therapies in the future Jerusalem, Dec. 29, 2013 – The mechanism by which some bacteria are able to survive antibacterial treatment ...

Nicotine exploits COPI to foster addiction

2013-12-30
Nicotine exploits COPI to foster addiction

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

[Press-News.org] Field trial with lignin modified poplars shows potential for bio-based economy
But work still needs to be done