Modified Expression of Genes Significantly Reduces Recalcitrance of Lignocellulosic Biomass
ID: 1824

Biomass is a renewable resource that has shown promise to replace petroleum based fuels, while reduc-ing green house gas emissions. The plant cell walls, which are the dominant component of feedstocks, contain polysaccharides such as cellulose, heteroxylans, and glucomannans that can ultimately be con-verted to fuel. However, the production of biomass-based fuels has not been cost competitive relative to oil or other energy resources. A key challenge is cell walls have built up a natural protection (or recal-citrance) that makes the process of converting polysaccharides to fermentable sugars inefficient.