Making biofuels sustainable - Investigating novel genes in poplar for better bioethanol

THIS IS AN EXCITING NEW PhD OPPORTUNITY at the Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton

With few short-term alternatives available to replace fossil fuels, the race to develop commercial biofuels as a sustainable source of renewable energy has gathered pace in recent years. Currently, conversion of woody material to a usable ethanol product requires extensive pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis steps for monosaccharide extraction, prior to ethanol fermentation, which is expensive and inefficient. This bottleneck is linked to high lignin quantity in the feedstock and consequently research has focussed on the manipulation of lignin:cellulose ratios and lignin S:G ratios.
However, our recent research shows that considerable natural genetic variation exists in the way poplar cell walls break down and release glucose (then fermented to ethanol), a process termed ‘saccharification’, and that this is not linked to lignin quantity or quality. Using a genetic-based approach in poplar we have identified candidate genes that may be responsible for this enhanced ethanol production.
This PhD will investigate these genes further using Arabidopsis as a model plant systems, where a reverse genetics approach will be used to knockout genes allowing their function to be determined. A second approach will utilise the latest re-sequencing efforts in poplar using Illumina technology as part of a European collaborative project, within the consortium ENERGYPOPLAR (www.energypoplar.eu). Using a wide natural population of black poplar, we have sampled more than 500 genotypes from across Europe and developed a genotyping SNP chip which is currently being produced and the successful candidate will join the project at an exciting time. Working alongside five post-doctoral researchers and six PhDs in the laboratory of Gail Taylor, you will join a vibrant laboratory with plenty of support and interaction. Much of the research is in collaboration as part of a number of national and international projects. The student will be expected to spend some months in Colorado, USA at the National Renewable Energy Laboratories as part of a collaboration with that group (funded by the project) and to also interact with French, Swedish and Italian colleagues working on poplar as a bioenergy feedstock. We are also working with the UK BBBSRC BSBEC scientists at Aberystwyth on genome-wide association genetics.

This project will give the student insight and experience in the latest technologies being used to address a highly significant global problem. The techniques span from field sampling of the tree collection, to wood preparation and analysis, to gene expression and genotyping. The CASE partner for this project will be Forest Research, the primary research organisation working on all aspects of forestry for the UK including trees as sources of bioenergy.


Start Date: Available immediately, but start date is flexible

Funding:

This DTA CASE studentship is funded jointly by the BBSRC and Forest research, covering University tuition fees (at EU/UK level) and provides a tax-free stipend of at least £13,000 per year (plus case enhancement), rising annually in line with the UK Government (Research Councils) recommended rate, for a three to four-year duration.