Unlocking Lignin's Potential: Engineered Bacterial Laccases to Produce Biologically Active Molecules.

Laccases are biocatalysts with immense potential in lignocellulose biorefineries to valorize emerging lignin monomers for sustainable chemicals. Despite reduced costs over the past two decades, enzymes remain a major expense in biorefining. Protein engineering can enhance enzyme properties and lower costs further.

Mutations in Locus May Negatively Affect Frost Tolerance in Bread Wheat.

The wheat semi-dwarfing genes Rht (Reduced height) are widely distributed among the contemporary wheat varieties. These genes also exert pleiotropic effects on plant tolerance towards various abiotic stressors. In this work, frost tolerance was studied in three near-isogenic lines of the facultative variety ‘April Bearded’ (AB), carrying the wild type allele Rht-B1a (tall phenotype), and the mutant alleles Rht-B1b (semi-dwarf) and Rht-B1c (dwarf), and was further compared with the tolerance of a typical winter type variety, ‘Mv Beres’.

Interaction between elevated temperature and different types of Na-salicylate treatment in Brachypodium dystachion.

Salicylic acid (SA) plays a role in several physiological processes in plants. Exogenously applied SA is a promising tool to reduce stress sensitivity. However, the mode of action may depend on how the treatment was performed and environmental conditions may alter the effects of SA.