Carbohydrate-aromatic interface and molecular architecture of lignocellulose

Plant cell walls constitute the majority of lignocellulosic biomass and serve as a renewable resource of biomaterials and biofuel. Extensive interactions between polysaccharides and the aromatic polymer lignin make lignocellulose recalcitrant to enzymatic hydrolysis, but this polymer network remains poorly understood. Here we interrogate the nanoscale assembly of lignocellulosic components in plant stems using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and dynamic nuclear polarization approaches. We show that the extent of glycan-aromatic association increases sequentially across grasses, hardwoods, and softwoods. Lignin principally packs with the xylan in a non-flat conformation via non-covalent interactions and…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1229170, DMR-1644779, NSF/DMR-1644779, CHE-1229170
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: DE-SC0001090, DE-SC0021210, DMR-1644779
• NH
  National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

  Awards: DMR-1644779, NSF/DMR-1644779, 1644779
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: S10 OD018519, OD018519
• OO
  Office of Science

  Award: DE-SC0001090
• DO
  Division of Materials Research

  Awards: 1644779, DMR-1644779, NSF/DMR-1644779
• DO
  Division of Chemistry

  Awards: DMR-1644779, CHE-1229170
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Award: DE-SC0001090
• HM
  High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• CF
  Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation

  Awards: DE-SC0001090, SC0001090