title: Localization of polyhydroxybutyrate in sugarcane using Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy and multivariate imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Slow-degrading, fossil fuel-derived plastics can have deleterious effects on the environment, especially marine ecosystems. The production of bio-based, biodegradable plastics from or in plants can assist in supplanting those manufactured using fossil fuels. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is one such biodegradable polyester that has been evaluated as a possible candidate for relinquishing the use of environmentally harmful plastics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PHB, possessing similar properties to polyesters produced from non-renewable sources, has been previously engineered in sugarcane, thereby creating a high-value co-product in addition to the high biomass yield. This manuscript illustrates the coupling of a Fourier-transform infrared microspectrometer, equipped with a focal plane array (FPA) detector, with multivariate imaging to successfully identify and localize PHB aggregates. Principal component analysis imaging facilitated the mining of the abundant quantity of spectral data acquired using the FPA for distinct PHB vibrational modes. PHB was measured in the chloroplasts of mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, acquiescent with previously evaluated plant samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the power of IR microspectroscopy to rapidly image plant sections to provide a snapshot of the chemical composition of the cell. While PHB was localized in sugarcane, this method is readily transferable to other value-added co-products in different plants.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia ; Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA ; Sage Analytics, Boulder, CO 80301 USA.
authors.forename: Jason S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lupoi
authors.affiliation: Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA.
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith-Moritz
authors.affiliation: Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA ; Biological and Engineering Sciences Center, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551 USA.
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia ; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305220, Denton, TX 76203 USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McQualter
authors.affiliation: Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA.
authors.forename: Henrik V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Scheller
authors.affiliation: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia ; Joint BioEnergy Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA ; Biological and Engineering Sciences Center, Sandia National Laboratories, 7011 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94551 USA.
authors.forename: Blake A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.affiliation: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 Australia.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Henry
keywords: Focal plane array; Infrared imaging; Multivariate imaging; Polyhydroxybutyrate; Sugarcane