To make biofuel, cut the lignin
Researchers disable key protein, make plant sugars easier to access
By Meghan Rosen
Plant stems and leaves are tough, but breaking them down doesn’t have to be. By crippling a single protein, researchers can grow plants that have 36 percent less lignin, the sturdy plant-wall molecule that makes chewing up plants for biofuel production so difficult.
Lignin (the name comes from the Latin word for wood) forms the support beams of plant cell walls. The molecular beams stiffen stems, letting plants stand straight and tall. But for scientists trying to capture sugars studded throughout plants’ walls, stiff bits of lignin are a problem.