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Xylan engineering in vascular tissue for biomass valorization.
Thatiane R Mota1, Igor Cesarino2, Dyoni M Oliveira1
1Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
Trends in Plant Science
|October 12, 2025
Summary
Sweet sorghum biomass engineering using vascular tissue-specific xylanase expression enhances lignocellulosic saccharification. This approach improves the efficiency of using renewable feedstocks for biofuel and biochemical production, boosting the bioeconomy.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Biomass Conversion
- Plant Science
Background:
- Lignocellulosic biomass is a key renewable feedstock for biofuels and biochemicals.
- Hemicellulose, particularly xylan, presents a significant barrier to efficient biomass saccharification.
- Overcoming xylan recalcitrance is crucial for unlocking the full potential of lignocellulosic resources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer sweet sorghum for enhanced lignocellulose degradation.
- To improve the efficiency of biofuel and biochemical production from biomass.
- To investigate the role of vascular tissue-specific endo-1,4-β-xylanase expression in biomass processing.
Main Methods:
- Biomass engineering in sweet sorghum.
- Vascular tissue-specific expression of endo-1,4-β-xylanase.
- Analysis of lignocellulosic saccharification efficiency.
Main Results:
- Successful engineering of sweet sorghum with enhanced lignocellulose digestibility.
- Demonstrated improvement in saccharification yields due to xylanase expression.
- Validated the effectiveness of vascular tissue-specific gene expression for biomass modification.
Conclusions:
- Vascular tissue-specific expression of endo-1,4-β-xylanase is an effective strategy to improve lignocellulosic biomass saccharification.
- This biomass engineering approach offers a promising route to boost sustainable biofuel and biochemical production.
- The findings contribute to advancing the bioeconomy through more efficient utilization of renewable resources.
