Lignin is an organic polymer found in plant cell walls that is a waste product of the wood and paper industries and a potential source for biofuel. However, it is currently underutilized because the molecule must be broken down before it can be converted to fuel, and an efficient way of breaking down lignin is not yet understood. One hypothesis holds that depolymerizing enzymes are present in the digestive tract of organisms that consume lignin (i.e. termites or shipworms) that are catalytically faster than well-known fungal lignin peroxidases. This research project aims to synthesize a probe that will help with the search for new lignin depolymerizing enzymes in unexplored ecological systems. The probe enables in vivo detection of lignin degradation through the use of chromophores which allow the probe to act as a light switch – the probe shows no fluorescence when the molecule is intact because of the Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) quenching, but when it is broken down the FRET will stop and the probe fluoresces. The probe can be used to identify exactly where the lignin is broken down in the digestive tract of lignin digesting organisms. To create the probe, a lignin dimer is first synthesized from vanillin and then the fluorophore (TAMRA) and quencher molecules (BHQ-2) are added to either end of the lignin dimer using click chemistry. The identification of more efficient lignin depolymerizing enzymes using the probe could make lignin a more viable source for the production of biofuels or the feedstock for new chemicals, aiding in achieving carbon neutrality, mitigating climate change, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Author-supplied Keywords","value":["Lignin","Depolymerization","Biofuel"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 24248