Modification of woody biomass using genome editing technology.
Keywords: Plants, Biomass, Genes, Genome Editing, Substance Production
Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to grow, serving as biomass that contributes to decarbonization. A portion of the absorbed carbon dioxide is utilized in the cell walls. In the xylem, which is composed of vessel elements and fiber cells, a thickened secondary cell wall is formed inside the normal cell wall. Since the majority of the biomass of trees, which have the largest biomass above ground, consists of xylem, it can be said that the secondary cell wall is the substance of tree biomass. Furthermore, the secondary cell wall is primarily composed of polymer compounds such as cellulose and lignin, which are also attracting attention as materials for bioethanol and biopolymers. The formation of the secondary cell wall involves many genes. We have identified key genes that control the entire process of secondary cell wall formation and have elucidated their molecular functions. Utilizing the insights gained, we are also working on creating useful plants for lignocellulosic biomass utilization by employing genome editing technologies to modify specific gene information.
- Company：埼玉大学 オープンイノベーションセンター
- Price：Other
