Removal of glucuronic acid from xylan is a strategy to improve the conversion of plant biomass to sugars for bioenergy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plant lignocellulosic biomass can be a source of fermentable sugars for the production of second generation biofuels and biochemicals. The recalcitrance of this plant material is one of the major obstacles in its conversion into sugars. Biomass is primarily composed of secondary cell walls, which is made of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Xylan, a hemicellulose, binds to the cellulose microfibril and is hypothesised to form an interface between lignin and cellulose. Both softwood and hardwood xylan carry glucuronic acid side branches. As xylan branching may be important for biomass recalcitrance and softwood is an abundant, non-food competing, source of biomass it is important to investigate how conifer xylan is synthesised.

Results

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SUBMITTER: Lyczakowski JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5606085 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature