title: Natural acetylation impacts carbohydrate recovery during deconstruction ofPopulus trichocarpawood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Significant variation in the inherent degree of acetylation naturally exists in the xylem cell walls ofPopulus trichocarpa. During pretreatment, endogenous acetate hydrolyzes to acetic acid that can subsequently catalyze the breakdown of poplar wood, increasing the efficiency of biomass pretreatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Poplar genotypes varying in cell wall composition were pretreated in 0.3% H2SO4in non-isothermal batch reactors. Acetic acid released from the wood was positively related to sugar release during pretreatment (R≥ 0.9), and inversely proportional to the lignin content of the poplar wood (R= 0.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is significant variation in wood chemistry amongP. trichocarpagenotypes. This study elucidated patterns of cell wall deconstruction and clearly links carbohydrate solubilization to acetate release. Tailoring biomass feedstocks for acetate release could enhance pretreatment efficiencies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI USA.|Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI USA.
authors.forename: Hoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI USA.|Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ralph
authors.affiliation: Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada.|Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI USA.
authors.forename: Shawn D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Mansfield
keywords: Acetate; Acetyl group; Advanced biofuels; Biorefinery; Pretreatment; Xylan