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DOE OSTI · 1550803

Lignin structure and its engineering

Ralph, John·Lapierre, Catherine·Boerjan, Wout
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Abstract

Research on lignin structure and its engineering are inextricably and bidirectionally linked. Perturbations of genes on the lignin biosynthetic pathway may end in striking compositional and structural changes that in turn indicate novel methods for altering lignin and even ‘designing’ the polymer to enhance its value or with a view toward its simpler removal from the cell wall polysaccharides. Basic structural studies on various native lignins increasingly refine our knowledge of lignin structure, and examining lignins in different species reveals the extent to which evolution and natural variation have resulted in the incorporation of ‘non-traditional’ phenolic monomers, including phenolics from beyond the monolignol biosynthetic pathway. As a result, the very definition of lignin continues to be expanded and refined.

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Ralph, John, Lapierre, Catherine, Boerjan, Wout. 2019-03-25. Lignin structure and its engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2019.02.019

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