Sugarcane gene functional analysis in transgenic rice and lignin modified sugarcane in order to cellulosic ethanol production

Abstract

Currently, one of the most important priorities for the sugarcane cultivars development used as renewable energy source is the lignocellulosic biomass modification; meaning, change the principal negative factor for the ethanol cellulosic production, the lignin. Continuing the BIOEN project coordinated by Prof. Dr. Paulo Mazzafera (proc. FAPESP 08/58035-6), this proposal aims to evaluate functionally two transcript factor and a dirigent protein sugarcane genes, presumably related to the lignin biosynthesis, via heterologous expression in rice and, at the same time, engender genetic modified sugarcane to obtain plants with the lignin content modified. One known the existence of the potential to improve the saccharification proceeding in plants increasing the proportion of sinapyl (S) subunit incorporate to lignin comparing to guaicyl (G) subunit and maybe the hidroxiphenyl (H) subunit, but it is underexplored and yet it have not probed in sugarcane. Therefore, the genes hidroxicinamoyl CoA:shiquimate/quinate hidroxicinamoyl transferase (HCT) and 5-hidroxylase ferulic acid (F5H) will be overexpressed in sugarcane to expect the increasing of S/G and or S/H ration in the plant. From the achievements proposed here, we expect establishing background for hereafter to be developed in the Sugarcane Center, IAC-Ribeirão Preto, highly qualified in sugarcane breeding program, the sugarcane cultivars production with bioenergy potential for genetic improvement via genetic transformation. (AU)