Vertichem Corporation

Agrigenesis Biosciences Limited

Biojoule Ltd.

University of California

Tony James Lough

Helene Belanger

James Douglas Watson

Ross L Prestidge

Jia-Long Yao

Clare Elton

Erika Varkonyi-Gasic

Ilkka Havukkala

Byung-Chun Yoo

Mohammed Farid

John Jj Chen

William J Lucas

Keith Hudson

Richard L S Forster

Dieter H Hermsmeier

Justin Sweetman

Alan MacFarlane

Mohammed Mehdi Farid

John Chen

In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.

Recovery of lignin and water soluble sugars from plant materials

Lignin polymers having distinctive properties, including a generally high molecular weight and generally homogeneous size distribution, as well as preservation of native reactive side groups, are isolated by solvent extraction of plant materials. Methods for isolation of lignin polymers, and for use of the isolated lignin polymers are disclosed. Compositions containing lignin isolated from plant materials, such as carbon fiber composites, resins, adhesive binders and coatings, polyurethane-based foams, rubbers and elastomers, plastics, films, paints, nutritional supplements, food and beverage additives are disclosed. Xylose and xylose derivatives, furfural, fermentable sugars, cellulose and hemi-cellulose products may be used directly or further processed. The lignin polymers and other plant-derived products disclosed herein may be produced in abundance at low cost, and may be used as substitutes for feedstocks originating from fossil fuel or petrochemical sources in the manufacture of various products.

Methods for isolating and harvesting lignin and isolated lignin preparations produced using the methods

An integrated process for the production of ethanol from woody plant material is provided, the process comprising: contacting a continuous flow of the plant material with a counter-current continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure to provide plant material depleted of lignin; removing ethanol from the lignin-depleted plant material; contacting a continuous flow of the lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure to solubilize xylose within the plant material; and hydrolyzing cellulose present in the plant material to form glucose, which in turn is fermented to produce ethanol.

Integrated processing of plant biomass

The present invention provides a polynucleotide sequence encoding a component of the protein machinery involved in small RNA trafficking,phloem small RNA-binding protein (CmPSRB 1), and the corresponding polypeptide sequence. The invention also provides genetic constructs and transgenic plants comprising the polynucleotide sequence encoding a phloem small RNA-binding protein to alter (e.g., prevent, reduce or elevate) non-cell autonomous signaling events in the plants involving small RNA metabolism. These signaling events are involved in a broad spectrum of plant physiological and biochemical processes, including, for example, systemic resistance to pathogens, responses to environmental stresses, e.g., heat, drought, salinity, and systemic gene silencing (e.g., viral infections).

Nucleic acids encoding phloem small RNA-binding proteins and transgenic plants comprising them

The present application discloses plant polynucleotides, their encoded polypeptide sequences, and sRNA sequences which are putative regulators of long-distance florigenic signaling and flowering control. Methods of using these sequences related to long-distance florigenic signalling, including modifying the occurrence, timing and extent of flower development by modulating the florigenic signaling pathway, are also disclosed.

Control of floral induction

Growing community of inventors

Auckland, New Zealand

Tony James Lough