TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetic editing of wood for sustainability

T2 - Trees engineered to have less lignin could make paper production less polluting

AU - Zuin Zeidler, Vânia G.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.

PY - 2023/7/14

Y1 - 2023/7/14

N2 - Lignin, a polymer formed by phenylpropanoid units, is responsible for the rigidity and resistance of the lignocellulosic cells in wood (1). In conventional pulp production, lignin must be cleaved and dissolved under alkaline conditions or first sulfonated to make it soluble so that fiber separation can take place. Delignification processes are reagent and energy intensive, leading to costly chemical recovery (2). Pulp treatment methods to remove wood extractives such as lignin have been developed, but they are not yet economically viable at an industrial scale (3). On page 216 of this issue, Sulis et al. (4) present a multiplex CRISPR genome editing strategy to modify lignin biosynthesis genes and reduce the lignin content of Populus trichocarpa, a species of poplar. This approach could provide a solution to a key operational constraint in the paper and pulp industry.

AB - Lignin, a polymer formed by phenylpropanoid units, is responsible for the rigidity and resistance of the lignocellulosic cells in wood (1). In conventional pulp production, lignin must be cleaved and dissolved under alkaline conditions or first sulfonated to make it soluble so that fiber separation can take place. Delignification processes are reagent and energy intensive, leading to costly chemical recovery (2). Pulp treatment methods to remove wood extractives such as lignin have been developed, but they are not yet economically viable at an industrial scale (3). On page 216 of this issue, Sulis et al. (4) present a multiplex CRISPR genome editing strategy to modify lignin biosynthesis genes and reduce the lignin content of Populus trichocarpa, a species of poplar. This approach could provide a solution to a key operational constraint in the paper and pulp industry.

KW - Sustainability Science

KW - sustainability

KW - Renewables

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164847141&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/4c4a9e59-8518-36fc-bed9-ae6ee55a51e6/

U2 - 10.1126/science.adi8186

DO - 10.1126/science.adi8186

M3 - Comments / Debate / Reports

C2 - 37440645

VL - 381

SP - 124

EP - 125

JO - Science

JF - Science

SN - 0036-8075

IS - 6654

ER -