Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

University of British Columbia

Steven D Karlen

John Ralph

Brian Fox

Craig A Bingman

Emily Beebe

Rebecca Anne Smith

Fachuang Lu

Dharshana Padmakshan

Hoon Y Kim

Shawn D Mansfield

Justin Mobley

Heather Mackay

Yaseen Mottiar

Faride Unda

The invention is directed to BAHD acyltransferase enzymes, nucleic acids encoding BAHD acyltransferase enzymes, and inhibitory nucleic acids adapted to inhibit the expression and/or translation of BAHD acyltransferase RNA; expression cassettes, plant cells, and plants that have or encode such nucleic acids and enzymes; and methods of making and using such nucleic acids, enzymes, expression cassettes, cells, and plants.

BAHD acyltransferases

The invention relates to feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzymes and nucleic acids encoding the feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzymes. The enzymes and/or the nucleic acids enable incorporation of monolignol ferulates into the lignin of plants. The monolignol ferulates include, for example, p-coumaryl ferulate, coniferyl ferulate, and/or sinapyl ferulate.

Feruloyl-CoA:monolignol transferases

The invention is directed to p-coumaroyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzymes, nucleic acids encoding p-coumaroyl-CoA:monolignol transferase enzymes, and inhibitory nucleic acids adapted to inhibit the expression and/or translation of p-coumaroyl-CoA:monolignol transferase RNA; expression cassettes, plant cells, and plants that have or encode such nucleic acids and enzymes; and methods of making and using such nucleic acids, enzymes, expression cassettes, cells, and plants.

P-coumaroyl-CoA:monolignol transferases

Methods of detecting and, optionally, determining a level of incorporation of monolignol ester conjugates into lignin. The methods include derivatizing lignin to acylate at least a portion of free phenolic and aliphatic hydroxyls and to halogenate at least a portion of benzylic alcohols present in the lignin to yield derivatized lignin, treating the derivatized lignin with a reducing agent to cleave at least a portion of the derivatized lignin to yield lignin cleavage products, acetylating at least a portion of free hydroxyl groups in the lignin cleavage products with a labeled acetylation agent to yield labeled lignin fragments, and detecting the labeled lignin fragments.

Methods for detecting and determining levels of monolignol ester conjugates incorporated into lignin and compounds relating thereto

A method of liquefying biomass. The method includes the steps of contacting biomass with a solution comprising an acyl halide and an acid; and then contacting the biomass with a reductant.

Method to liquefy biomass

Disclosed is a method to make N-acetyl-p-aminophenol. The method includes steps for converting biomass-derived p-hydroxybenzoates to p-hydroxybenzamide, then to p-aminophenol; and then N-acetylating the p-aminophenol.

Synthesis of paracetamol (acetaminophen) from biomass-derived p-hydroxybenzamide

Described is a method of detecting and/or determining levels of incorporation of monolignol ferulate conjugate esters into lignin by derivatizing the lignin, reductively cleaving the lignin, labeling the cleavage products, and then detecting cleavage products derived from monolignol ester conjugates via differential attachment of the label.

Growing community of inventors

Verona, WI, United States of America

Steven D Karlen