Functional characterization of transcription factors involved in the formation of tension wood in eucalyptus: impact on the chemical structure of the cell wall and suitability for production of second generation biofuels

• Grant number: 13/17846-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: April 01, 2014
• End date: March 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira
• Grantee: Jorge Lepikson Neto
• Supervisor: Jacqueline Grima-Pettenati
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université Paul Sabatier - Toulouse III, France
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/22652-7 - Eucalyptus as sugar provider for second generation ethanol production, BP.PD

Abstract

With the increasing demand for renewable energy growing every year, the search for alternative energy sources is being encouraged worldwide. Brazil has always been at the forefront of knowledge in the production of biofuels as well as being the largest producer of pulp from hardwood Eucalyptus spp, with a well-developed and booming industry. The main limitation to the use of lignocellulosic biomass eucalyptus for energy production comes from the structure of the secondary cell walls with lignin preventing access to cellulose and therefore its degradation into fermentable sugars. To improve the efficiency of the so-called saccharification process, it is necessary to identify the genes that control the formation and the characteristics of the cell walls. Tension wood in angiosperms is formed in response to a gravitational stimulus and presents contrasting characteristics as compared to normal wood. This is an excellent model to understand the molecular mechanisms regulating genes involved in wood formation. The aim of this project is to functionally characterize a handful number of transcription factors involved in the formation of tension wood in eucalyptus. This involves the evaluation of their impact on cell wall formation, seeking their suitability for the production of biofuels. This project is thus directly linked to the ambition of the country, today largest producer of pulp, to remain as a reference in biofuels and green energy. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SOLER, MARCAL; PLASENCIA, ANNA; LEPIKSON-NETO, JORGE; CAMARGO, EDUARDO L. O.; DUPAS, ANNABELLE; LADOUCE, NATHALIE; PESQUET, EDOUARD; MOUNET, FABIEN; LARBAT, ROMAIN; GRIMA-PETTENATI, JACQUELINE. The Woody-Preferential Gene EgMYB88 Regulates the Biosynthesis of Phenylpropanoid-Derived Compounds in Wood. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, v. 7, SEP 22 2016. (13/17846-0)