Advanced biorefinery in lower termite-effect of combined pretreatment during the chewing process.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Currently the major barrier in biomass utilization is the lack of an effective pretreatment of plant cell wall so that the carbohydrates can subsequently be hydrolyzed into sugars for fermentation into fuel or chemical molecules. Termites are highly effective in degrading lignocellulosics and thus can be used as model biological systems for studying plant cell wall degradation.

Results

We discovered a combination of specific structural and compositional modification of the lignin framework and partial degradation of carbohydrates that occurs in softwood with physical chewing by the termite, Coptotermes formosanus, which are critical for efficient cell wall digestion. Comparative studies on the termite-chewed and native (control) softwood tissues at the same size w

SUBMITTER: Ke J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3310848 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature