Analysis of gene expression profile for enzymes of the lignin biosynthesis pathway and dirigent proteins in the species of Saccharum genus

• Grant number: 12/08471-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2012
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Silvana Aparecida Creste Dias de Souza
• Grantee: Izadora Farina Pastore
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 08/58035-6 - Control of lignin biosynthesis in sugar cane: many gaps still to be filled, AP.BIOEN.TEM

Abstract

Considering the global demand for sustainable energy, the sugarcane is noteworthy for the excellence role as raw material provider to the liquid fuel yield. One potential not yet explored is the ethanol cellulosic yield and lignin is its bottleneck. This work proposes to evaluate the species Saccharum officinarum and S. spontaneum for lignin content and related gene expression, since they are the main species which originated the currents sugarcane commercial hybrids. Furthermore, they are very distinct in lignin content and sucrose deposition. For this propose, it will be evaluated samples from different parts of the stem and developmental stage of sugarcane. The information acquired in this work should contribute with the studies which have been done using hybrid genotypes from a breeding programcrossing for forage sugarcane. The breeding programs, the traditional ones or throughout genetics transformation, will be supported by knowledge about the genes related to the lignin metabolism, aiming the development of cultivars with the lignin modify content. Consequently, those approaches will contribute to the ethanol cellulosic yield feasibility. (AU)