Molecular-genetics and manipulation of lignin biosynthesis in barley straw

The pathway whereby plants make lignin, a strengthening and waterproofing substance in cell walls, has been extensively studied in dicots but less is known about it in grasses. Cell walls and lignin in grasses have several unique features that cannot be understood by studying dicots. We are studying the genes that are involved in making lignin in barley, and using it as a model for all grasses. Using biochemical and molecular approaches we are (a) identifying barley genes involved in lignin biosynthesis, (b) determining the precise role of those genes in the process, and (c) evaluating whether manipulating the genes by breeding or transgenesis has any advantages for agriculture or industry, particularly for biofuel production. This barley work is complemented by a programme to identify novel genes in Arabidopsis that might contribute further to sacharification properties. Several different PhD projects can be developed around these larger barley and Arabidopsis projects.