Coherent diffractive imaging applied to biological samples: assessment of 3D internal structure of vegetal fibers under different pretreatments

• Grant number: 16/24249-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: July 03, 2017
• End date: March 22, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Carla Cristina Polo
• Grantee: Carla Cristina Polo
• Host Investigator: Yuriy Chushkin
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), France

Abstract

The vegetal cell wall is composed by a very complex cross-linking of recalcitrant and complex macromolecules. This recalcitrance implies on pursuing new methods and technologies for lignocellulose breakdown. The generation of bioethanol from biomass holds great promise for renewable and clean energy production. However, a better understanding of the complex mechanisms of lignocellulose breakdown during various pre-treatment methods is needed to realize this potential in a cost and energy efficient way. Therefore, the present research project proposes to characterize and reveal the internal structure of pre-treated sugarcane biomass fibers which underwent different industrially relevant pretreatments by carrying out plane wave coherent diffractive imaging (pwCDI) and ptychography combined with nanodiffraction and µSAXS experiments, at the ID10 beamline, at the European Synchrotron Research Facility (ESRF), France. Counting on their experimental capabilities, it will be possible to reach tens of nanometers resolution on whole fiber and access the internal cross linking of hemicellulose and lignin with the cellulose microfibrils. Last but not least, the 4th generation synchrotron source, SIRIUS under construction in Campinas (Brazil) will be hosting the Cateretê beamline, dedicated to plane wave coherent diffractive imaging (pwCDI) and micro- small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). As a member of the Cateretê group, the 6-month visit to ID10, will be twofold: 1) scientifically with the characterization of lignocellulosic fibers to unprecedented levels, but also, will allow to carry out 2) CDI measurement and acquire knowledge of data acquisition, data treatment, phase retrieval and image reconstruction. CDI biological specimen preparation is also the focus of this experience, and will bring valuable information to be applied and transmitted to Cateretê users and the São Paulo scientific community. (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)

POLO, CARLA C.; PEREIRA, LUCIANO; MAZZAFERA, PAULO; FLORES-BORGES, DENISELE N. A.; MAYER, JULIANA L. S.; GUIZAR-SICAIROS, MANUEL; HOLLER, MIRKO; BARSI-ANDREETA, MARIANE; WESTFAHL JR, HARRY; MENEAU, FLORIAN. Correlations between lignin content and structural robustness in plants revealed by X-ray ptychography. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 10, n. 1, APR 7 2020. (16/24249-6, 14/25964-5)