Lignin, a chief component of cell walls in plants, is naturally degraded in the soil. Identifying new microorganisms involved in this degradation can help develop novel lignin breakdown processes in ...

The lignin can be depolymerized through a variety of methods to produce heterogeneous mixtures consisting of various aromatic monomers, dimers, and oligomers. Some microorganisms can metabolize lignin ...

Plants grown for biofuel have the potential to power our travel industry, but an important fraction of their chemical power has remained stubbornly difficult to recover. New research from the Center ...

Lignin, a major component of plant biomass, is the only abundant natural source of renewable aromatic compounds. However, its complex structure makes it difficult to break down efficiently into useful ...

Researchers who manipulate lignin, a molecular fiber that allows plants to grow tall and transport water, unexpectedly discovered its synthesis has more far-reaching effects on plant development than ...

An underutilized natural resource could be just what the airline industry needs to curb carbon emissions. Researchers report success in using lignin as a path toward a drop-in 100% sustainable ...

Lignin—a tough, mixed polymer found in plant cell walls—is nature’s most abundant stockpile of aromatic functional groups. Because of this, lignin’s rich natural complexity could be a well of new ...

Ludo Diels, a research leader at the Belgian science institute Vito, gives a hopeful smile when asked if aromatic molecules—which make up about 40% of all industrial chemicals produced today—could ...