Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

19.8K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
19.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The emerging dialogue between synthetic genomics and clinical research.

Clinical and translational medicine·2026
Same author

[The impact of penetrating needling combined with sling exercise therapy on lower limb motor and balance function in post-stroke hemiplegic patients].

Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research·2026
Same author

Yeast nuclei-mediated precise delivery of synthetic megabase-scale human DNA into mammalian embryos.

Nature protocols·2026
Same author

Systems-Level Metabolic Regulation Strategies of Xylose Metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Biotechnology journal·2026
Same author

Automated linear DNA assembly of A. thaliana's chloroplast and mitochondrial genome.

Nucleic acids research·2026
Same author

Systems-level regulation principles for microbial lignin valorization.

Current opinion in biotechnology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 24, 2025

Methods for Facilitating Microbial Growth on Pulp Mill Waste Streams and Characterization of the Biodegradation Potential of Cultured Microbes
16:33

Methods for Facilitating Microbial Growth on Pulp Mill Waste Streams and Characterization of the Biodegradation Potential of Cultured Microbes

Published on: December 12, 2013

9.5K

Creative biological lignin conversion routes toward lignin valorization.

Zhi-Hua Liu1, Bing-Zhi Li1, Joshua S Yuan2

  • 1Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China.

Trends in Biotechnology
|October 21, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Biological lignin conversion routes (BLCRs) offer a sustainable method to transform lignin, a complex aromatic resource, into valuable chemicals and materials. These microbial systems enable efficient lignin valorization, paving the way for a bioeconomy.

Keywords:
aromatic natural productbiological funnelcarbon neutralitylignin valorizationsustainable biorefinerysynthetic biology

More Related Videos

Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass using the OrganoCat Process
06:19

Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass using the OrganoCat Process

Published on: June 5, 2021

4.1K
Extraction of Lignin with High β-O-4 Content by Mild Ethanol Extraction and Its Effect on the Depolymerization Yield
10:18

Extraction of Lignin with High β-O-4 Content by Mild Ethanol Extraction and Its Effect on the Depolymerization Yield

Published on: January 7, 2019

20.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 24, 2025

Methods for Facilitating Microbial Growth on Pulp Mill Waste Streams and Characterization of the Biodegradation Potential of Cultured Microbes
16:33

Methods for Facilitating Microbial Growth on Pulp Mill Waste Streams and Characterization of the Biodegradation Potential of Cultured Microbes

Published on: December 12, 2013

9.5K
Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass using the OrganoCat Process
06:19

Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass using the OrganoCat Process

Published on: June 5, 2021

4.1K
Extraction of Lignin with High β-O-4 Content by Mild Ethanol Extraction and Its Effect on the Depolymerization Yield
10:18

Extraction of Lignin with High β-O-4 Content by Mild Ethanol Extraction and Its Effect on the Depolymerization Yield

Published on: January 7, 2019

20.8K

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology and Bioengineering
  • Sustainable Chemistry
  • Renewable Resources

Background:

  • Lignin is the most abundant renewable aromatic resource, presenting a significant opportunity for sustainable chemical production.
  • The complex, heterogeneous structure of lignin poses challenges for its efficient conversion and valorization.
  • Current methods for lignin utilization are often limited by structural complexity and low yields.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and present biological lignin conversion routes (BLCRs) as a viable strategy for lignin valorization.
  • To highlight the potential of BLCRs in overcoming the structural challenges associated with lignin.
  • To explore the application of BLCRs in generating aromatic platform chemicals and value-added products.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing microbial systems with inherent ligninolytic capacities for bioconversion.
  • Employing a 'biological funnel' approach to process heterogeneous aromatic compounds from lignin.
  • Leveraging the aromaticity of lignin for atom-economic functionalization pathways.

Main Results:

  • BLCRs provide a high-specificity route for converting lignin into aromatic platform chemicals.
  • Microbial systems enable powerful aromatic ring-opening reactions for generating diverse value-added products.
  • The inherent structure of lignin can be effectively harnessed for efficient functionalization.

Conclusions:

  • Biological lignin conversion routes (BLCRs) offer a feasible and sustainable approach to lignin valorization.
  • BLCRs are key to unlocking the potential of lignin as a feedstock for a lignocellulose-based bioeconomy.
  • This approach facilitates the production of chemicals, fuels, and materials from a renewable resource.