Lignin and Wood Chemistry

Metabolomic Investigations Reveal Lignin Deconstruction by Human Gut Microbiota

This study shows human gut microbiota deconstruct lignin under anaerobic conditions, producing enterolignans and revealing rapid metabolism of lignin oligomers.

Ecologically inspired assembly of a Bacillales synthetic community for lignin degradation

This paper designs a synthetic microbial community for lignin degradation by integrating ecological and trait-based selection, showing enhanced lignin conversion through functional partitioning.

Ultrastructural analysis of engineered rice lines reveals ferulate cross-linking as a key factor mediating lignocellulose supramolecular assembly in grass cell walls

The paper analyzes engineered rice lines to show that ferulate cross-linking significantly affects lignocellulose structure and biomass properties more than lignin composition changes.

Engineering eudicot-like lignin in rice via targeted disruption of grass-specific lignin modification pathways

This study engineers rice to produce eudicot-like lignin by disrupting grass-specific lignin modification pathways, revealing the roles of p-coumarate and tricin in lignin structure and function.

Identifying and engineering the molecular origins of lignin color for predictive staining of plant tissues.

The paper identifies lignin chromogens responsible for plant tissue color and demonstrates genetic engineering to predictably stain lignified tissues.

Engineering a cytochrome P450 O-demethylase for the bioconversion of hardwood lignin

This study characterizes a cytochrome P450 enzyme involved in lignin degradation and engineers it to catalyze both 4-alkylguaiacol and 4-alkylsyringol O-demethylation, enhancing its utility in biocatalytic lignin valorization.

LignAmb25: A Comprehensive AMBER Force Field Addressing Lignin's Structural and Chemical Diversity

LignAmb25 is a new AMBER force field for lignin simulations that improves upon existing models by including diverse monolignol units and linkages, enabling accurate modeling of lignin structures and properties.

Precursor-Dependent Routing of Aromatic Amino Acids Determines Lignin Structure in Grasses by Sensitivity-Enhanced Solid-State NMR

This paper uses isotope labeling and solid-state NMR to show how phenylalanine and tyrosine contribute differently to lignin structure in grasses, revealing tyrosine as a compensatory pathway.

Lignin degradation and valorization by Pseudomonas putida KT2440: a new role for glutathione peroxidase

This study identifies a new role for glutathione peroxidase in Pseudomonas putida KT2440, showing its involvement in lignin degradation and redox balance maintenance.

A Newly Identified Gene Controls Lignin Acetylation in Poplar

This study identifies a gene responsible for lignin acetylation in poplar and shows its overexpression increases acetate levels in lignin without affecting plant growth.

Emergence of Lignin-Carbohydrate Interactions During Plant Stem Maturation Visualized by Solid-State NMR

The paper uses solid-state NMR to study lignin-carbohydrate interactions in Arabidopsis stems during maturation, revealing the role of specific lignin units and carbohydrates in wall structure.

High Enzyme Promiscuity in Lignin Degradation Mechanisms in Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009

This study investigates lignin degradation mechanisms in Rhodopseudomonas palustris using multi-omics and CRISPRi to identify essential pathways and improve sustainable valorization of lignin.

Stacked mutations disrupting syringyl and p-coumaroylated lignin biosynthesis in rice result in lignin dominated by guaiacyl units: insights into grass-specific lignin monomer biosynthesis and polymerization mechanisms

The paper shows that disrupting CAld5H and PMT genes in rice eliminates syringyl lignin, revealing a grass-specific pathway for p-coumarate conjugates and lineage-dependent lignin polymerization.

The S-lignin O-demethylase SyoA: Structural insights into a new class of heme peroxygenase enzymes

This paper characterizes the structure and function of SyoA, a heme peroxygenase enzyme that demethylates S-lignin aromatics via the peroxide shunt pathway, revealing key residues critical for its activity.

Co-Substrate Free Valorisation of Lignin Monomers by Assimilation of C1 and C2 By-Products

This study shows how by-products from lignin conversion can be used by Pseudomonas putida to eliminate the need for additional carbon sources, improving lignin valorisation efficiency.

Transcriptomic analysis of Picea abies tissue culture reveals the impact of culture conditions and the presence of glucuronoxylan on extracellular lignin production

This study uses transcriptomic analysis to investigate how culture conditions and xylan affect extracellular lignin production in Norway spruce tissue cultures.

Modeling cross-regulatory influences on monolignol transcripts and proteins under single and combinatorial gene knockdowns in Populus trichocarpa

The paper develops a computational model to estimate monolignol transcript and protein abundances under gene knockdowns, showing improved accuracy in predicting responses to single and combinatorial perturbations.