Range of cell-wall alterations enhance saccharification in Brachypodium distachyon mutants

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1414020111
• Publication Date: 2014-09-23T07:21:36Z
• Authors: Poppy E. Marriott; Richard Sibout; Catherine Lapierre; Jonatan U. Fangel; William G. T. Wil...; Herman Hofte; Leonardo D. Gómez; Simon J. McQueen-...
• Keywords: Brachypodium; Brachypodium distachyon; Digestion

Significance Bioethanol produced from waste biomass crops has the potential to provide a sustainable alternative petroleum-based transportation fuel that does not compete with human food supply. The main obstacle this approach is resistance of digestion. Thus, expensive energetic pretreatment and high enzyme inputs are needed increase In study, we screened population randomly mutated plants for digestibility aim identifying novel factors impact on trait. We found number mutants no impairments in growth or fitness. These show range alterations cell-wall composition, have mapped characterized mutant highest digestibility.