Sugarcane as green biofactories: metabolic engineering of high-value aromatic compounds

• Grant number: 25/11107-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Igor Cesarino
• Grantee: Alison Andrei Schmatz
• Supervisor: Aymerick Eudes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/08175-9 - Sugarcane as green biofactories: metabolic engineering of high-value aromatic compounds, BP.PD

Abstract

Lignocellulosic biomass is a sustainable alternative to replace petroleum derivatives, as it can be deconstructed into simple sugars and aromatics that can be converted into biofuels and bioproducts. The shikimate/phenylpropanoid pathway is a major biotechnological target, as it is the source of not only the aromatic polymer lignin, but also of metabolites eligible as important bioreplacements for commonly fossil fuel-derived aromatics. Highly productive crops such as sugarcane can be engineered for the sustainable production of high-value aromatics, boosting their status as multipurpose crops. Two strategies to generate genetically modified sugarcane were used to divert the carbon flux from the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway towards the production of two high-value compounds: tricin (naturally produced in sugarcane in small quantities; antioxidant and antimicrobial properties) and 2-pyrone-4,6- dicarboxylic acid (PDC, building block for bioplastics production). Initial characterization of these lines was performed, in which we determined their biomass accumulation parameters. Here, we aim to further characterize these lines for (i) accumulation of target compounds via LC-MS; (ii) characterization of cell wall parameters, including lignin content and composition; and (iii) saccharification yields. Plants were cultivated upon greenhouse conditions and internodes and leaves were harvested at two different time points, 4 and 7 months after propagation. This developmental perspective will allow us to evaluate the dynamics of target metabolite accumulation and the potential consequences in cell wall deposition, as well as to verify any improvements in biomass processing. Our results will allow a comprehensive evaluation of two different strategies to convert sugarcane plants into green biofactories.