title: Potential of genetically engineered hybrid poplar for pyrolytic production of bio-based phenolic compounds.
abstract: Wild-type and two genetically engineered hybrid poplar lines were pyrolyzed in a micro-pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS) and a bench scale setup for fast and intermediate pyrolysis studies. Principal component analysis showed that the pyrolysis vapors obtained by micro-pyrolysis from wood of caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) and caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) down-regulated poplar trees differed significantly from the pyrolysis vapors obtained from non-transgenic control trees. Both fast micro-pyrolysis and intermediate pyrolysis of transgenic hybrid poplars showed that down-regulation of COMT can enhance the relative yield of guaiacyl lignin-derived products, while the relative yield of syringyl lignin-derived products was up to a factor 3 lower. This study indicates that lignin engineering via genetic modifications of genes involved in the phenylpropanoid and monolignol biosynthetic pathways can help to steer the pyrolytic production of guaiacyl and syringyl lignin-derived phenolic compounds such as guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol, 4-vinylguaiacol, syringol, 4-vinylsyringol, and syringaldehyde present in the bio-oil.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Technologiepark 914, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hilal E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Toraman
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vanholme
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; Umeå University, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borén
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Technologiepark 914, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vanwonterghem
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Technologiepark 914, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marko R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Djokic
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guray
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ronsse
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wolter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wout
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boerjan
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Technologiepark 914, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Kevin.VanGeem@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Van Geem
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Laboratory for Chemical Technology, Technologiepark 914, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Marin
mesh_terms: D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D032107:Populus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D008031:Lignin
keywords: Bio-oil; Phenolic compounds; Principal component analysis; Pyrolysis; Transgenic plants