An Easier Way To Extract Energy From Plants Has Been Discovered!!

An Easier Way To Extract Energy From Plants Has Been Discovered!!

Harshul Shukla

Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/make-biofuel-cut-lignin?mode=topic&context=87
Date of Source's publication : August 16 2013
Author: Meghan Rosen

Summary:
          By creating a plant that doesn't have the enzyme caffeoyl shikimate esterase, Ruben Vanholme of Ghent University in Belgium was  able to grow plants that have 36 percent less lignin. Lignin is a protein that makes the support beams of plant cells and makes it stand tall. These proteins become a problem when sugars are trying to be extracted. To remove the lignin, scientists usually must use many different chemicals and enzymes which sets them back large sums of money and large amounts of time. By eliminating the enzyme altogether, the plant will not produce as much lignin which will allow bio fuel to be much more accessible  This process has been completed in a small flowering plant but it is expected to also work in many plants like poplar, switch grass, eucalyptus which are large sources for bio fuel. Hopefully this will make bio fuel a more dependable, effective, and accessible energy source for the future.

Relevance: 
          This article connects to what we have learned this year in multiple different way. For starters, Ruben Vanholme removed an enzyme in the plant to stop the lignin from forming. That plant requires the enzyme to create lignin because it does not have the activation energy to create the lignin itself and it does not have a catalyst. Also, lignin is cellulose in the plant walls that make it stand up and stiff which is something we learned about. Lastly, the discovery of a better way to make renewable energy is always good news. By reducing carbon emissions  we can use this improved method to stop global warming! Also, by reducing pollutants in the sky, we will reduce acid rain which in turn will help us reduce the high levels of toxins in high tropic levels due to biological magnification. Lastly, it will help us protect ecosystem from climate change.