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In this study, major factors involved in regulating ethanol production from wood by the saprotrophic white-rot fungus Phanerochaete sordida YK-624 were investigated. P. sordida YK-624 produced ethanol from wood meal culture without the addition of any nutrients, and ethanol was produced from wood culture only when the oxygen concentration in headspace was reduced to ≤5%; thereafter, ethanol production ceased within a few days. Analyses of gene expression during aerobic incubation indicated that P. sordida simultaneously upregulates the glycolytic pathway from sugar uptake to pyruvate conversion during ethanol fermentation and suppresses pyruvate influx into the TCA cycle. Upon termination of ethanol fermentation, the expression of all tested genes was repressed, and the fungus ceased to grow. In contrast, the fungus could utilize ethanol for aerobic growth. These results suggest that ethanol fermentation by P. sordida functions as a short-term stress response system under anaerobic conditions during wood decay, enabling the fungus to rapidly resume growing when oxygen is supplied (e.g., following breakdown of plant cell walls or removal of the fungus from water immersion). This is the first report to describe the physiologic significance of ethanol fermentation in saprotrophic white-rot fungi.

Wood from invasive tree species Acacia dealbata and Ailanthus altissima was used to produce high value-added nanocellulose. Firstly, bleached pulps were produced from the wood of these tree species after kraft cooking. Afterwards, the resultant pulps were pre-treated by TEMPO-mediated oxidation (Acacia dealbata) or enzymatic hydrolysis (Ailanthus altissima) followed by high-pressure homogenization. Hydrogels were obtained and characterized for their main physical and chemical properties, including rheology measurements. After freeze-drying, the surface properties of the materials were evaluated by inverse gas chromatography. Results showed that nano/micro fibrils could be obtained from the wood of these invasive species. Rheometry studies showed that Acacia-TEMPO cellulose nanofibrils form strong gels with high yield stress point and viscosities (reaching ca. 100,000 Pa·s). Additionally, the surfaces of the obtained nanocelluloses showed a dispersive component of the surface energy near 40 mJ/m2 and a prevalence of the Lewis acidic character over the basic one, as typical for cellulose-based materials. Finally, films with good mechanical and optical properties could be obtained from the cellulose hydrogels. Acacia-TEMPO film (produced by filtration/hot pressing) showed a tensile strength of 79 MPa, Young's modulus of 7.9 GPa, and a transparency of 88%. The water vapor barrier, however, was modest (permeability of 4.9 × 10−6 g/(Pa·day·m)).

Kraft lignin, so far useful for energy generation, has been gathering considerable attention as an alternative material to replace fossil-based resources mainly due to its high phenolic content. However, the wide molecular weight distribution and chemical composition heterogeneity led to the development of fractionation methods. Herein, to narrow such characteristics we used eucalypt kraft lignin fractionated at pH's 9, 7, 5 and 3 by sequential acid precipitation. These lignin fractions were first characterised by simultaneous pyrolysis and trimethylsilylation (SPyT) with N-Methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide with posterior tests of antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumour activities. We observed higher ratio of syringyl/guaiacyl groups and increase in antioxidant activity in those fractions with lower molecular weight (precipitated at lower pH's). Fractions precipitated at pH's 9 and 7 have shown an outstanding antibacterial activity against five bacteria. Moreover, fractions 7 and 5 presented at cytotoxicity tests higher ability to inhibit the growth of U87MG and T98G glioma cells, while only a slight inhibition of adult human fibroblasts (non-tumour cells) was detected.

Ginkgo shells as by-products from Ginkgo biloba L. industries with a remarkable annual output up to now are not fully analyzed and exploited. For the application of ginkgo shells beyond their current roles, structure and antioxidant activity of milled wood lignins successively extracted from two ginkgo shell species were investigated. Results showed lignin in ginkgo shells is abundant in guaiacyl units with the presence of ferulates and p-coumarates and demonstrates a high yield of vanillin (1.47–1.65 mmol/g-lignin) by nitrobenzene oxidation, much higher than general softwoods and hardwoods (0.6–0.9 mmol/g-lignin), which makes ginkgo shells good feedstocks for the production of food and beverage flavoring agent. By increasing the extent of ball-milling (4–8 h), the polydispersity of lignin molecular weight exhibits negligible change, but condensation and aldol interconversion occur to its Cβ/C5 structure and end-groups, respectively. Lignin in ginkgo shells also features outstanding antioxidant activity with the optimal radical scavenging index of 6.9, much higher than commercial butyl hydroxyanisole (3.85) and butylated hydroxytoluene (0.29), and the phenolic hydroxyl is demonstrated to dominate this contribution by the analysis of statistical product and service solutions. These results reveal lignin in ginkgo shells shows many unique structural and biological properties for materials.

Xylan extracted from neem sawdust gave 22.5%, (w/w) yield. The extracted xylan was composed of xylose and glucuronic acid at a molar ratio of 8:1 and with a molecular mass, ~66 kDa. FTIR and NMR analyses indicated a backbone of xylan substituted with 4-O-methyl glucuronic acid at the O-2 position. FESEM analysis showed a highly porous and granular surface structure of xylan. A thermogravimetric study of xylan showed thermal denaturation at 271 °C. The hydrolysis of xylan by recombinant endo-β-1,4-xylanase produced a mixture of xylooligosaccharides ranging from degree of polymerization 2–7. Xylooligosaccharides inhibited cell growth of human colorectal cancer (HT-29) cells but did not affect the mouse fibroblast cells confirming its biocompatibility. Western blotting, DNA laddering and flow cytometric analysis displayed inhibition of HT-29 cells by xylooligosaccharides. FLICA staining and mitochondrial membrane potential analyses confirmed the activation of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. The study amply indicated that the xylooligosaccharides produced from neem xylan could be potentially used as an antiproliferative agent.

Phellinus noxius is a root-decay pathogen with a pan-tropical/subtropical distribution that attacks a wide range of tree hosts. For this study, genomic sequencing was conducted on P. noxius isolate P919-02W.7 from Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei), and its gene expression profile was analyzed using different host wood (Acer, Pinus, Prunus, and Salix) substrates. The assembled genome was 33.92 Mbp with 2954 contigs and 9389 predicted genes. Only small differences were observed in size and gene content in comparison with two other P. noxius genome assemblies (isolates OVT-YTM/97 from Hong Kong, China and FFPRI411160 from Japan, respectively). Genome analysis of P. noxius isolate P919-02W.7 revealed 488 genes encoding proteins related to carbohydrate and lignin metabolism, many of these enzymes are associated with degradation of plant cell wall components. Most of the transcripts expressed by P. noxius isolate P919-02W.7 were similar regardless of wood substrates. This study highlights the vast suite of decomposing enzymes produced by P. noxius, which suggests potential for degrading diverse wood substrates, even from temperate host trees. This information contributes to our understanding of pathogen ecology, mechanisms of wood decomposition, and pathogenic/saprophytic lifestyle.

The study aims to analyse the stability of the narrow crowned Norway spruce (pendula form) compared to the normal spruce form (pyramidalis form) and the hybrids of the two forms, in 5 field trials (Comandău, Lepşa 12, Ilva Mică and Voineasa) located in the Romanian Carpathians. Trees height (Th), breast height diameter (Dbh), height growth of the last year, crown diameter (Cd), number of branches per whorl (Nbw) and dominant branch diameter (Dbd) traits were measured and survival rate (Sr) was determined, at 20 years old. Also, branches finesse (Bf), trees volume (Tv) and trees slenderness (Ts) were calculated. In order to compare the wood density (Cwd) there were collected cores. In all trials ANOVA revealed significant (p 0.05) differences between the two forms of spruce and the hybrids (mainly between those that have a different crown form mother), especially for the stability and quality traits. Factorial ANOVA revealed a high influence (p 0.001) of the locality and also a significant influence (p 0.05) of the locality × spruce form interaction. The factor "form" was significant for some traits involved in Norway spruce stability (Ts, Cd, Nbw). The pendula trees present higher values for Sr, Dbh and Tv, and lower values for Ts, Cd, Nbw, Dbd and Bf, compared to pyramidalis spruce form, which showed a higher stability. Heritability was in generally low (h

Structural analysis of biomolecules is essential to natural product discovery, especially for precious biomaterials such as agarwood. However, one of the greatest challenges to the characterization of natural products is the profound cost in time and manpower to the structural elucidation of these highly diverse compounds. Here, we demonstrate a multi-modal mass spectrometric strategy, integrating matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) and mass spectral molecular networking, to uncover agarwood natural products of Aquilaria sinensis trees. A simple workflow for preparing wood sections for MALDI-MSI analysis was demonstrated. Notably, tens of natural products in the agarwood region in wood stem section of A. sinensis were spatially revealed by MALDI-MSI. For the first time, such a great number of plant specialized metabolites is obtained by a single wood section MSI. Guided by the spatially resolved features, mass spectral molecular networking was subsequently applied for structural analysis of the agarwood natural products, in which three major classes of 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones and their analogues were putatively characterized. These results suggest an efficient strategy to the dereplication of plant natural products.

Cell wall architecture of tension wood fibres represents a suitable biological system to study the mechanism of growth and maintenance of posture of trees growing under various physical and physiological growth constraints. In the present study, we investigated the spatial distributions of β-(1-4)-D-galactan, xyloglucan and xylans (both less and highly substituted) in the opposite and tension wood fibres of bent Leucaena leucocephala by immunolabelling with monoclonal antibodies LM5, CCRCM1, LM10 and LM11 specific to these carbohydrate epitopes. The presence of non-lignified, tertiary wall layer is the typical tension wood characteristic associated with the reaction xylem fibres in Leucaena. LM5 labelling of opposite fibres showed weak labelling in the cell walls indicating less concentration of β-(1-4)-D-galactans while tension wood showed strong labelling in the tertiary wall layer suggesting the gelatinous layer (G-layer) has a strong cross linking with β-(1-4)-D-galactans. Xyloglucan distribution was more in the compound middle lamellae and the primary wall-S1 layer boundary of tension wood fibres as compared to that of opposite wood. A weak labelling was also evident near the boundary between the G-layer and the secondary wall of tension wood fibres. The secondary wall of opposite and tension wood fibres showed a strong distribution of both ls ACG Xs (LM10) and hs ACG Xs (LM11) while a weak labelling was noticed in the compound middle lamella. Tension wood fibres also showed strong xylan labelling mainly confined to the lignified secondary walls while the G-layer showed weak xylan labelling. In conclusion, our results suggest that β-(1-4)-D-galactans and xyloglucans could be implicated in the tensile stress generation within the G-layer of tension wood fibres of Leucaena leucocephala.

Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (C. subvermispora) is a selective degrader of lignin in the woody biomass. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multifunctional enzymes that play important roles in cellular detoxification and metabolism. The crystal structures of a GST of C. subvermispora, CsGST83044, in GSH-free and -bound forms were solved at 1.95 and 2.19 A resolution, respectively. The structure of the GSH-bound form revealed that CsGST83044 can be categorized as an atypical-type of GST. In the GSH-bound form of CsGST83044, Asn22, Asn24, and Tyr46 are located closest to the sulfur atom and form hydrogen bonds with the thiol group. The functional mutagenesis indicated that they are critical for the enzymatic activities of CsGST83044. The critical residues of an atypical-type GST belonging to the GSTFuA class were revealed for the first time. A previous study indicated that CsGST83044 and another GST, CsGST63524, differ in substrate preference; CsGST83044 prefers smaller substrates than CsGST63524 for its esterase activity. The GSH-bound pocket of CsGST83044 turns out to be small, which may explain the preference for smaller substrates. Protein engineering of GSTs of C. subvermispora in the light of the obtained insight may pave a path in the future for utilization of the woody biomass.

Natural history collections are increasingly valued as genomic resources. Their specimens reflect the combined efforts of collectors and curators over hundreds of years. For many rare or endangered species, specimens are the only readily available source of DNA. We leveraged specimens from a historical collection to study the evolutionary history of wood-partridges in the genus Dendrortyx. The three Dendrortyx species are found in the highlands of central Mexico and Central America south to Costa Rica. One of these species is endangered, and in general, Dendrortyx are secretive and poorly represented in tissue collections. We extracted DNA from historical museum specimens and sequenced ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to assess their phylogeny and divergence times. Phylogenies built from hundreds to thousands of nuclear markers were well resolved and largely congruent with an mtDNA phylogeny. The divergence times revealed an unusually old avian divergence across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the Pliocene around 3.6 million years ago. Combined with other recent studies, our results challenge the general pattern that highland bird divergences in Mesoamerica are relatively young and influenced by the Pleistocene glacial cycles compared to the older divergences of reptiles and plants, which are thought to overlap more with periods of mountain formation. We also found evidence for monophyletic genetic lineages in mountain ranges within the widespread D. macroura, which should be investigated further with integrative taxonomic methods. Our study demonstrates the power of museum genomics to provide insight into the evolutionary histories of groups where modern samples are lacking.

Recently, the worldwide production of dissolving pulp has grown rapidly. Enzymatic technologies play an important role in producing high-quality dissolving pulp, due to their green, mild conditions, high specificity and efficiency. In this review, the relevant publications regarding enzyme applications for dissolving pulp are summarized. Cellulase and xylanase are two major enzymes used for this purpose. Cellulase can improve the quality of dissolving pulp, such as improving the reactivity/accessibility, controlling the intrinsic viscosity and adjusting the molecular weight. Xylanase is mainly used to increase the purity of the dissolving pulp and improve the pulp brightness. Furthermore, in order to increase the enzymatic treatment efficiency, the enzymatic technology can be combined with other techniques, including mechanical refining, fiber fractionations, alkali treatment and use of additives. The advantages, disadvantages and practical implications are analyzed. Also, the potential of other enzymes (such as laccase, mannanase) are discussed.

We compared the δ13C and δ15N of forest material with an extensive sporocarp collection to elucidate the role of litter, wood and soil as fungal carbon and nitrogen sources in Finnish boreal Picea abies-dominated forests. Ectomycorrhizal Hydnum and Cortinarius had higher δ15N than other ectomycorrhizal fungi, suggesting use of 15N-enriched, deeper nitrogen. Russula had lower δ15N than other ectomycorrhizal fungi and resembled some litter decay genera, suggesting use of litter-derived nitrogen. There was little variation in δ15N among other genera of ectomycorrhizal fungi, indicating limited functional diversity in nitrogen use. Saprotrophic Leotia, Gymnopus, Hypholoma, Pholiota, Rhodocollybia and Calocera had δ15N values similar to ectomycorrhizal fungi, indicating overlap in use of older nitrogen from soil or roots or use of newly fixed nitrogen. Genera of litter and wood decay fungi varied up to 6‰ in δ13C and 10‰ in δ15N, suggesting large differences in carbon and nitrogen sources and processing. Similar δ13C between white and brown rot wood decay fungi also suggest that white rot fungi do not use lignin-derived carbon. Together, these δ13C and δ15N patterns of fungi from Finnish boreal forests enhance our knowledge of fungal functional diversity and indicate broad use of litter, wood and soil resources.

Wood ash recycling to forests is beneficial because it regains nutrients and prevents acidification, but wood ash application is restricted due to its cadmium (Cd) content. We question if Cd in wood ash represents a problem, since decreases in Cd bioavailability due to ash-induced pH changes may counteract increased total Cd concentration. We studied effects of wood ash (0, 3, 9 and 30 t ha −1 ) and lime (pH increase equivalent to the wood ash treatments) on growth and Cd uptake in Deschampsia flexuosa. After four months, we measured plant biomass and Cd accumulation, and extracted Cd from the soil using three different methods; HNO 3 (total), EDTA (chelator-based) and NH 4 NO 3 (salt-based). Wood ash and lime strongly stimulated plant growth. Cd concentration in the plant tissue decreased with wood ash and lime addition, and correlated positively with the NH 4 NO 3 extractable fraction of Cd in the soil. In contrast, HNO 3 and EDTA extracted more Cd with increased wood ash application. We conclude that wood ash amendment increases soil pH, total Cd concentration, nutrient levels and stimulates plant growth. However, it does not increase Cd accumulation in D. flexuosa, as pH-driven decreases in Cd bioavailability leads to reduced plant Cd uptake. Finally, soil bioavailable Cd is best determined using NH 4 NO 3 -extraction.

We used manually spawned, field-deployed embryos of a common marine fish species, Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), to evaluate accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with an incomplete creosote-treated piling (CTP) removal project. Embryos near undisturbed 100-year-old CTPs (before removal) accumulated higher PAHs and exhibited higher cyp1a gene expression than embryos from reference areas. Embryos incubated close to CTP debris after CTP removal showed PAHs 90 times higher than reference areas up to a year after CTP removal. cyp1a fold-induction correlated with total embryo PAHs in all three years. Patterns of individual PAH chemicals differed slightly between embryos, wood sampled from CTPs, and passive samplers. This study illustrates the importance of using appropriate techniques and procedures to remove CTPs in aquatic environments to prevent release of toxic chemicals. Of particular concern is that incomplete CTP removal could expose sensitive life stages of fishes to chemicals that may reduce their survival.

Lignin is central to overcoming recalcitrance in the enzyme hydrolysis of lignocellulose. While the term implies a physical barrier in the cell wall structure, there are also important biochemical components that direct interactions between lignin and the hydrolytic enzymes that attack cellulose in plant cell walls. Progress toward a deeper understanding of the lignin synthesis pathway - and the consistency between a range of observations over the past 40 years in the very extensive literature on cellulose hydrolysis - is resulting in advances in reducing a major impediment to cellulose conversion: the cost of enzymes. This review addresses lignin and its role in the hydrolysis of hardwood and other lignocellulosic residues.

The discharge from food production greenhouses (greenhouse effluent) contains high nutrient and salt concentrations, which, if directly released, can have adverse effects on the environment. Wood-chip bioreactors are increasingly popular passive water treatment systems favoured for their economical denitrification in treating agricultural field tile drainage. Microbial communities are central to denitrification; however little is known about the maturation of microbial communities in wood-chip bioreactors treating greenhouse effluents. In this study, multiple subsurface flow wood-chip bioreactors, each vegetated with a different plant species, together with an unplanted unit, received synthetic greenhouse effluent with elevated nitrate concentrations. The hybrid bioreactors were operated for over 2 years, during which time water samples were collected from the inlet, outlet and within the reactors. The increasing denitrification rate in the bioreactor planted with Typha angustifolia (narrowleaf cattail) correlated with increasing microbial activity and metabolic richness, measured by the carbon utilization patterns in Biolog® EcoPlates. Increased denitrifying gene (nirS) copies (determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, qPCR), and near-complete nitrate removal were observed in the T. angustifolia and unplanted reactors after 16 and 23 months of operation respectively. The findings suggested that an acclimation period of at least one year can be expected in unseeded bioreactors planted with T. angustifolia, while bioreactors without vegetation may require a longer time to maximize their denitrification capacity. These results are important for the design and operation of wood-chip bioreactors, which are expected to be more commonly applied in the future.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oenological potential of natural extracts from winery and cooperage by-products, either alone or with a colloidal silver complex (CSC), on the quality of red wines, as possible substitutes to SO2. Natural extracts were obtained from grape seeds and American oak wood by accelerated extraction with subcritical water. The prefermentative addition of grape seed or oak wood extracts was an useful tool to control acetic acid bacteria development, without affecting the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations. Both extracts protected the wines against oxidation, without negatively modifying their phenolic and volatile composition. They did not cause organoleptic defects in wines, which presented greater aromatic complexity and were positively evaluated by the tasters. Therefore, the use of grape seed or oak wood extracts in red vinification could be a good alternative to replace or reduce the doses of SO2.

Four new dimeric 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones (1-4) were isolated from the agarwood of Aquilaria crassna in Laos. All structures were determined based on extensive spectroscopic methods including IR, UV, 1D and 2D NMR, ECD, and HRMS. The structures of compounds 1-3 were characterized by two C-O-C linkages between the two chromone moieties, while compound 4 featured one C-O-C linkage and one CC bond connecting with two chromone moieties. Compounds 1 and 3 showed weak cytotoxicity against human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cell line with IC50 values of 44.68 and 42.10 μΜ.

The Symphyta has long been recognized as a paraphyletic grade forming the base of the remaining Hymenopteran, and the superfamily relationships within Symphyta remain controversial. Here, the first two representative mitochondrial genomes from the superfamily Siricoidea and Xiphydrioidea (Hymenoptera: Symphyta) are obtained using next-generation sequencing. The complete mitochondrial genome of Xiphydria sp. is 16,482 bp long with an A + T content of 84.18% while the incomplete one of Tremex columba is 16,847 bp long and A + T content is 81.69%. All 37 typical mitochondrial genes are possessed in both species. The secondary structure of tRNAs and rRNAs for both species are successfully predicted. Compared with the ancestral organization, seven and five tRNA genes are rearranged in mitochondrial genomes of Tremex and Xiphydria, respectively, which are the most rearrangement events within Symphyta. The rearrangement patterns in Tremex and Xiphydria present in this study are all novel to the Symphyta. Phylogenetic relationships among the major lineages of Symphyta are reconstructed using mitochondrial genomes. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses highly support Symphyta is a paraphyletic grade, Xyeloidea + (Tenthredinoidea + (Pamphilioidea + (Xiphydrioidea + (Cephoidea + (Orussoidea + Apocrita))))).

Wood-decomposing fungi efficiently decompose plant lignocellulose, and there is increasing interest in characterizing and perhaps harnessing the fungal gene regulation strategies that enable wood decomposition. Proper interpretation of these fungal mechanisms relies on accurate quantification of gene expression, demanding reliable internal control genes (ICGs) as references. Commonly used ICGs such as actin, however, fluctuate among wood-decomposing fungi under defined conditions. In this study, by mining RNA-seq data in silico and validating ICGs in vitro using qRT-PCR, we targeted more reliable ICGs for studying transcriptional responses in wood-decomposing fungi, particularly responses to changing environments (e.g., carbon sources, decomposition stages) in various culture conditions. Using the model brown rot fungus Postia placenta in a first-pass study, our mining efforts yielded 15 constitutively-expressed genes robust in variable carbon sources (e.g., no carbon, glucose, cellobiose, aspen) and cultivation stages (e.g., 15 h, 72 h) in submerged cultures. Of these, we found 7 genes as most suitable ICGs. Expression stabilities of these newly selected ICGs were better than commonly used ICGs, analyzed by NormFinder algorithm and qRT-PCR. In a second-pass, multi-species study in solid wood, our RNA-seq mining efforts revealed hundreds of highly constitutively expressed genes among four wood-decomposing fungi with varying nutritional modes (brown rot, white rot), including a shared core set of ICGs numbering 11 genes. Together, the newly selected ICGs highlighted here will increase reliability when studying gene regulatory mechanisms of wood-decomposing fungi.

Brown-rot fungi are the wood-decay basidiomycetes and have ability to break down plant cell wall carbohydrates. It has been suggested that degradation of pectin is important for the initial stages of brown rot. We purified an endo-polygalacturonase (FpPG28A) from the brown-rot fungus Fomitopsis palustris, analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence indicated that FpPG28A belongs to GH family 28. The highest activity of purified FpPG28A was observed at 60 °C in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 5.0); this activity was highly specific for polygalacturonic acid chains. However, calcium polygalacturonate gel was not degraded by FpPG28A under those optimal conditions. We observed that calcium polygalacturonate gel was readily degraded by the enzyme in the oxalate buffer. Furthermore, the thermostability of FpPG28A was elevated in oxalate buffer at pH 3.0. These results indicated that oxalate has an important role in the degradation of woody pectin by FpPG28A.

Wood has been extensively used as a material for different applications over the years, therefore the understanding of different degradation processes in various environments is of great importance. In this study, the infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and chemometric methods were used to evaluate and compare the structure of archaeological and artificially degraded oak wood. The results clearly show that modifications in the structure of archaeological wood are related to the position of the material in the log (sapwood and heartwood), thus the extent of wood degradation. To identify the possible factors influencing these effects, the control wood samples were exposed to artificial white rot biodegradation with Coriolus (Trametes) versicolor and to alkali treatment (with NaOH solution). Due to the structural similarities between biodegraded wood and control or archaeological samples, this type of decay is likely to occur during natural ageing along with degradation produced by other environmental factors. Further, no real similarity was identified between the alkali treated wood and archaeological samples, indicating that such degradation does not affect wood under natural conditions.

In the present work, palm wood was pretreated using hydrothermal technique in conjunction with chemical method for removal of lignin. Pretreated palm wood was subjected to hydrolysis using Trichoderma reesei MTCC 4876. Subsequently bioethanol was produced using palm wood hydrolysate by Kluveromyces marxianus MTCC 1389. RSM was used to identify the non-linear relationship and optimize various process parameters such as parameters such as pH, temperature, agitation rate, substrate concentration and inoculum size for bioethanol production. ANN constructed with 5-2-1 topology was also used to optimize process parameters. The experimental bioethanol yield of 22.90 g/l was obtained at ANN optimum conditions of temperature 45 degrees C, agitation rate 156 rpm, pH 5, substrate concentration 8% (v/v) and inoculum size 3.2% (v/v).

Black carbon such as biochar has been shown to support microbial redox transformation by accepting and/or donating electrons. Electron storage capacity (ESC) is an important property that determines the capacity of a biochar to mediate redox processes in natural and engineered systems. However, it remained unclear whether a biochar's ESC is constant and reversible and if so to what extent, over what redox potential range ESC is distributed, and what fraction of the ESC is microbially accessible. In this study, we developed chemical methods that employed combinations of reductants and oxidants of different potentials – Ti(III) citrate, ferricyanide, dithionite, and dissolved O2 – to measure the ESC of Soil Reef biochar, a wood-derived biochar that can serve as an electron donor or acceptor for Geobacter metallireducens. For a given oxidant–reductant pair, the ESC obtained over multiple redox cycles was constant and fully reversible, though lower than that of the virgin biochar. Pore diffusion within biochar particles was rate-limiting and controlled the timescale for redox equilibrium. Results suggest that redox-facile functional groups in biochar were distributed over a broad range of potentials. The ESC measured using dithionite indicates approximately 22% of the biochar's reversible ESC was accessible to G. metallireducens. We propose that reversible ESC may be regarded as a constant and quantifiable property of black carbon.

Chronic smoke exposure, emitted by biomass fuel burning leads to many diseases, which are originated due to oxidative stress. The present study investigated the levels of PM2.5, PM10 and PM2.5 bound trace metals released during cooking with fuelwood and subsequent changes in haematological parameters along with oxidative stress in rural tribal women of northeast India exposed to wood smoke. The levels of PM2.5, PM10 and trace metals associated with PM2.5 (nickel, cobalt, manganese, zinc, cadmium, lead and copper) were measured. In addition, blood samples were analyzed for concentrations of different blood related parameters (haemoglobin, platelet count, red blood cells and white blood cells) and levels of antioxidants (reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase). Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured as a biomarker of lipid peroxidation. Health risk assessment was done to assess the potential risk posed by inhalation of fine particles emitted from cooking with fuel wood. Levels of both PM2.5 and PM10 were higher in wood users compared to LPG users during cooking period (644.4 ± 368.3 µg/m³ vs 50 ± 23.8 µg/m³; 915 ± 441.3 µg/m³ vs 83.3 ± 33 µg/m³) and it exceeded the permissible limits of WHO. Levels of trace metals during the cooking period in fuel wood users were significantly higher than LPG users (p = 0.01). After controlling possible confounders, both platelet count and white blood cells (WBC) had a significant positive association with PM2.5and PM10. Similarly, haemoglobin had a negative association with both PM2.5 and PM10. Depleted levels of antioxidant enzymes and increase in lipid peroxidation (MDA) suggest a close association with pollutants released from wood smoke, indicating oxidative stress in women who used fuelwood for cooking. The total hazard quotient (HQ) of 0.11 was within the acceptable limit (i.e., 1.0). The total excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) was 5.4 × 10−6 which is five times higher than the acceptable limit of 1.0 × 10−6. Individual carcinogenic risk of Ni (2.3 × 10−6) and Cd (3.1 × 10−6) were also higher compared to acceptable limit. These results indicate that tribal women cooking with wood are at greater risk of developing cancer and also give support to the positive association between wood smoke and oxidative stress.

Ophiostoma spp. (Ophiostomatales, Ascomycota) are well-known fungi associated with bark and ambrosia beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae, Platypodinae). Fungi in the Ophiostomatales include serious tree pathogens as well as agents of timber blue-stain. Although these fungi have been extensively studied in the northern hemisphere, very little is known regarding their occurrence on hardwoods in Europe. The aims of the present study were to identify and characterize new Ophiostoma spp. associated with bark and ambrosia beetles infesting hardwoods in Norway and Poland, and to resolve phylogenetic relationships of Ophiostoma spp. related to the Norwegian and Polish isolates, using multigene phylogenetic analyses. Results obtained from five gene regions (ITS, LSU, β-tubulin, calmodulin, translation elongation factor 1-α) revealed four new Ophiostoma spp. These include Ophiostoma hylesinum sp. nov., O. signatum sp. nov., and O. villosum sp. nov. that phylogenetically are positioned within the Ophiostoma ulmi complex. The other new species, Ophiostoma pseudokarelicum sp. nov. reside along with Ophiostoma karelicum in a discrete, well-supported phylogenetic group in Ophiostoma s. stricto. The results of this study clearly show that the diversity and ecology of Ophiostoma spp. on hardwoods in Europe is poorly understood and that further studies are required to enrich our knowledge about these fungi.

The scarcity of available drinking water has led the researchers to develop novel and cost-effective ways of bioremediation process for wastewater treatment. Bioremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally sound method for the removal of toxic compounds. Such approach is not only a chemical-less effort but also an energy savior. In the present work Phlebia acerina, a white rot wood rotting fungi have been used to degrade the toxic wastewater pollutants. Congo Red (CR) and Eriochrome Black T (EBT) have been selected as model pollutants to test the wastewater cleaning ability of the fungus. The Lignin modifying enzyme (LME) and Cellulolytic enzyme assays (CMC) potential of Phlebia acerina helped in understanding the dye degradation mechanism. Under the optimum conditions, the fungi was able to degrade as high as 92.4% CR while the EBT was degraded to a maximum of 50%. Phlebia acerina was found to show first-order kinetics of dyes degradation. Further, the seed germination and antimicrobial assay of treated and untreated water were carried out in order to establish the formation of non-toxic end product after degradation.

Producción Científica, Different oak species or origins have been studied to find an alternative to traditional ones and Quercus humboldtii from Colombia is a candidate. Some studies analyse the composition of this oak, but no work has been found to study its use for wine treatment. The aim was to evaluate volatile composition of toasted Q. humboldtii oak chips and the wines treated with these chips. To evaluate its oenological potential Q. alba and Q. petraea have been included in this trial. The wines were subjected to a sensory analysis. Results indicated that oak chips and wines macerated for 90 days with toasted Colombian chips exhibited higher 5-methylfurfural, guaiacol, trans-isoeugenol and syringol concentrations than others, while the furfural and cis-β-methyl-γ-octalactone content was lower. Sensory analysis showed that the wines treated with Colombian oak presented more notes of smoked and less of coconut. Therefore, this oak could probably be considered suitable for ageing., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Proyect AGL2014-54602P), Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación - Ref. VA028U16), Fondecyt de Iniciación. Grant Number: 11150462

Agarwood originating from Aquilaria sinensis contains sesquiterpenoids that have tremendous commercial value in the pharmaceutical and fragrance industries. Aquilaria sinensis sesquiterpene synthase (AsSTS) is the key enzyme in the agarwood biosynthesis pathway, and its activity directly affects the chemical composition of agarwood; however, its role in species evolution remains unclear. In this study, we performed an evolutionary analysis based on 68 plant sesquiterpene synthase (STS) genes and further structural characterization of the gene encoding AsSTS to explore its molecular evolution. The phylogenetic tree indicated that these STS genes included three subfamilies. Additionally, 23 positively selected sites were detected, and no influence of recombination was found. Furthermore, the protein structure of AsSTS was characterized using primary sequence and structural analyses as having a functional active site lid domain, a substrate binding site, two post-translational modification sites and four conserved motifs. Finally, most virtual mutations of positively selected sites could be stabilized against thermal denaturation by a decrease in free energy, and three virtual mutations (D403R, G470Q and S538K) were shown to play important roles in the function and stability of AsSTS. The molecular evolutionary analysis of plant STSs provides essential clues for further experimental site-directed mutagenesis and molecular modification of AsSTS.

A novel pyrone derivative (1) bearing two fused five-member rings, together with two new naphthalenone derivatives (2, 3), as well as two known compounds (4, 5) were obtained from the endophytic fungus Fusarium sp. HP-2, which was isolated from "Qi-Nan" agarwood. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR, and by HRESIMS spectra, as well as by comparison with the literature. Bioactivity results indicated that compound 3 showed weak acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Haematoxylum campechianum L., is a well-known plant in the southeast region of Mexico, where it is named as “palo tinto” or “palo de Campeche”, in English there are vernacular names such as “redwood”, “bloodwood tree” or “campeachy wood”. Traditional medicine refers its use for the treatment of different disorders including depression. Aim of the study Considering the traditional use of this plant for the alleviation of depression, the aim of this study was the evaluation of the anxiolytic effect of the methanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts from the heartwood of Haematoxylum campechianum L., and the sappanchalchone (Sapp). Additionally, it is presented the characterization of the new compound 4-hydroxyhematoxylol (2) isolated from the hydroalcoholic extract. Material and methods The anxiolytic effect of the extracts and Sapp was evaluated by using the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) additionally the sedative effect was assessed with the Open Field Test (OFT). The chemical characterization of Sapp and 2 was performing by 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Results The EPM test showed that the administration of the plant extracts increased the percentage of time spent in open arms (76.32 ± 6.35 and 66.68 ± 20.64%, respectively for the methanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts), whereas the administration of Sapp increased the percentage of time spent in open arms by 60.07 ± 14.28%, these results are similar to Diazepam (DZP, positive control) which caused an increment of 74.06 ± 23.42%. For the OFT, all of the doses evaluated for both extracts and Sapp diminished the number of rearing (R) and total corssing (TC) behavior in a similar way to the positive control (DZO) and statistically different with respect to the vehicle. Conclusion The results obtained showed that the polar extracts from the heartwood of Haematoxylum campechianum L. possess both anxiolytic and sedative effect and that the chalcone-type compound Sapp, isolated from the methanolic extract, is partially responsible of these activities.

Formulation of substrates based on three hardwood species combined with modulation of nitrogen content by whey addition (0–2%) was investigated in an experiment designed in D-optimal model for their effects on biological preproceesing of lignocellulosic feedstock by shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) cultivation. Nitrogen loading was shown a more significant role than wood species for both mushroom production and lignocellulose degradation. The fastest mycelial colonisation occurred with no nitrogen supplementation, but the highest mushroom yields were achieved when 1% whey was added. Low nitrogen content resulted in increased delignification and minimal glucan consumption. Delignification was correlated with degradation of syringyl lignin unit, as indicated by a significant reduction (41.5%) of the syringyl-to-guaiacyl ratio after cultivation. No significant changes in substrate crystallinity were observed. The formation of furan aldehydes and aliphatic acids was negligible during the pasteurisation and fungal cultivation, while the content of soluble phenolics increased up to seven-fold.

Invasive aquatic weed management is one of the biggest challenges in the field of solid waste management. Eichhornia crassipes , Pistia stratiotes and Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle pose some of the world's most noted aquatic weed problems. Previously reported studies on management of H. verticillata , a submersed aquatic plant, have shown that temporary removal, chemical treatment or biological control methods each have advantages and disadvantages. Removal programs that propose to compost harvested H. verticillata biomass may provide a novel technique to manage this issue. However, the properties of such compost as an agriculture resource are unclear. This study presents the different mix proportions of H. verticillata , cow dung and sawdust used for the composting of 550 L rotary drum composter. This work characterizes the biological, physicochemical, and respirometry properties of the various mixes over a 20-day composting period. The results suggest that the biomass of H. verticillata can be beneficially utilized to produce stable compost for potential use in agricultural systems.

We investigated the yeast species associated with rotting wood samples obtained from Brazilian ecosystems, with a special focus on cellobiose-fermenting species. About 647 yeast strains were isolated from rotting wood samples collected from the areas of Atlantic rainforest, Cerrado, and Amazonian forest. Eighty-six known species and 47 novel species of yeasts were isolated. Candida boidinii, Cyberlindnera subsufficiens, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Schwanniomyces polymorphus, Candida natalensis, and Debaryomyces hansenii were the most frequently isolated species. Among the cellobiose-fermenting yeasts, 14 known and three novel yeast species were identified. Scheffersomyces queiroziae, Sc. amazonensis, Yamadazyma sp.1, Hanseniaspora opuntiae, C. jaroonii, and Candida tammaniensis were the main ethanol-producing yeasts. These species also produced an intracellular β-glucosidase responsible for cellobiose hydrolysis. In fermentation assays using a culture medium containing 50 g L−1 cellobiose, ethanol production was observed in all cases; Sc. queiroziae and Sc. amazonensis showed the highest yield, efficiency, and productivity. Candida jaroonii and Yamadazyma sp.1 strains also showed high efficiency in cellobiose fermentation, while C. tammaniensis and H. opuntiae strains produced low amounts of ethanol. This study shows the potential of rotting wood samples from Brazilian ecosystems as a source of yeasts, including new species as well as those with promising biotechnological properties.

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with partial least squares (PLS-1) regression was used to predict the lignin contents and monosaccharide compositions of milled wood of Pinus radiata. The effects of particle size and moisture content were investigated by collecting NIR spectra of four sample types: large (

Eighteen alkaloids were detected in the bark, leaves, wood and roots of Peumus boldus, including traces of secoboldine, N-methylsecoboldine (boldine methine), glaucine and norreticuline, not reported previously as constituents of this species. Using appropriate standards, we quantified thirteen of them by UHPLC-MS/MS. Boldine was dominant in the bark, and laurolitsine in wood and roots. The alkaloid composition of the leaves, determined for 130 individually identified trees, classified by age and sex, was highly variable, where N-methyllaurotetanine, laurotetanine, coclaurine and in some cases isocorydine predominated, but not boldine.

The degradation of two isomeric three-ringed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by the white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus D1 and the litter-decomposing fungus Agaricus bisporus F-8 was studied. Despite some differences, the degradation of phenanthrene and anthracene followed the same scheme, forming quinone metabolites at the first stage. The further fate of these metabolites was determined by the composition of the ligninolytic enzyme complexes of the fungi. The quinone metabolites of phenanthrene and anthracene produced in the presence of only laccase were observed to accumulate, whereas those formed in presence of laccase and versatile peroxidase were metabolized further to form products that were further included in basal metabolism (e.g. phthalic acid). Laccase can catalyze the initial attack on the PAH molecule, which leads to the formation of quinones, and that peroxidase ensures their further oxidation, which eventually leads to PAH mineralization. A. bisporus, which produced only laccase, metabolized phenanthrene and anthracene to give the corresponding quinones as the dominant metabolites. No products of further utilization of these compounds were detected. Thus, the fungi's affiliation with different ecophysiological groups and their cultivation conditions affect the composition and dynamics of production of the ligninolytic enzyme complex and the completeness of PAH utilization.

For some environments such as planktonic/aqueous environments, the separation of bacteria cells from eukaryotic cells prior to DNA extraction using filtration is relatively straightforward. However, for woodchips, the bacteria are attached/embedded within the wood matrix, which prevents easy removal of bacterial cells. In this study, a method for the selective extraction of DNA from bacteria inhabiting Eucalyptus spp. woodchips has been developed. The objective was to compare milled and unmilled woodchips processed via three detachment methods, viz., sonication, vortexing and shaking followed by filtration using Teflon filters according to three relevant criteria: DNA yield, DNA purity and quality of DNA. Highest DNA yield was obtained by milling and vortexing for 10 min (77.50 ± 5.17 ng/μl), followed by milling and vortexing for 2 min (61.00 ± 6.56 ng/μl), unmilled and vortexing for 10 min (38.67 ± 5.17 ng/μl) and milled and shaking for 2 h (31.62 ± 5.17 ng/μl). The lowest DNA yield was obtained by using unmilled woodchips and 5 min of sonication treatment (7.00 ± 1.22 ng/μl). There was no significant difference in DNA purity for milled or unmilled woodchips processed via the three detachment methods. Duration of cell detachment treatment did not significantly influence DNA yield and purity. Following optimisation experiments, it was possible to extract bacterial DNA using milled woodchips and 10 minute vortexing devoid of DNA from the host background and other associated eukaryotes and of sufficient quality and quantity for metagenomic analysis.

Recent investigations of filamentous fungi isolated from coastal areas and historic wooden structures in the Ross Sea and Peninsula regions of Antarctica have identified the genus Cadophora as one of the most abundant fungal groups, comprising more than 30% of culturable fungi at some locations. A methanol extract of Cadophora luteo-olivacea grown on rice media yielded the known polyketides spiciferone A, spiciferol A, dihydrospiciferone A and dihydrospiciferol A. Additionally, nine related hexaketides were identified, including spiciferone F, two isomers of the known fungal bicyclic ketal colomitide B, cadopherones A-D, similin C, and spicifernin B. HPLC and NMR analysis of extracts from other isolates collected in Antarctica suggests that the spiciferones and colomitides are produced by at least two different Cadophora species. Preliminary precursor feeding experiments provided evidence for the biosynthesis of the colomitides from the same polyketide pathway as the spiciferone phytotoxins, possibly via a type III polyketide synthase (PKS). None of the compounds were active in a panel of anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and mammalian cytotoxicity assays.

While many studies have shown that pulp mill effluents can affect ovarian physiology in fish, far fewer studies have considered the effects in males. We conducted a lab study to examine the effects of effluent from a Brazilian pulp and paper mill on hepatic and testicular morphology and various aspects of testicular physiology in the zebrafish Danio rerio. Males were exposed to lab water (control) or 4% effluent for 14 days. Effluent exposure did not affect testis size as measured by the gonadosomatic index, but contributed to morphological changes in the seminiferous tubules. The number of cysts with histopathological changes was elevated in effluent-exposed fish and the number of cysts containing spermatids was significantly reduced. The testis of effluent exposed fish had reduced levels of lactate, elevated lactate dehydrogenase activity, increased levels of reactive oxygen species and reduced levels of phosphorylated P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (pP38 MAPK). Separate studies showed that the addition of lactate to testicular tissue incubated in vitro increased the activation of P38 MAPK. Effluent exposure also increased vacuolization, necrosis, apoptosis, hyperemia, and fat infiltration of the hepatocytes. Collectively, we provide evidence of short term effects of pulp mill effluent on testicular and hepatic physiology and biochemistry in the zebrafish.

Background The wastes of pecan nut (Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch) production are increasing worldwide and have high concentrations of tannins and phenols. Aims To study the biodegradation of lignocellulosic wastes of pecan used as solid substrate for the cultivation of the white-rot fungus Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst. Methods Six formulations of pecan wastes were used as solid substrate: pecan shells (PS100), pecan pericarp (PP100), pecan wood-chips (PB100), and the combinations PS50 + PP50, PB50 + PS50 and PB50 + PP50. The substrates were inoculated with a wild strain of G. lucidum collected in the Iberian Peninsula. The biodegradation capability of G. lucidum was estimated by using the mycelial growth rate, the biological efficiency, the production and the dry biological efficiency. Results Notably, all solid substrates were suitable for G. lucidum growth and mushroom yield. The best performance in mushroom yield was obtained with PB100 (55.4% BE), followed by PB50 + PP50 (31.7% BE) and PB50 + PS50 (25.4% BE). The mushroom yield in the substrates containing pecan wood-chips (PB) was significantly higher. Conclusions Our study is leading the way in attempting the cultivation of G. lucidum on lignocellulosic pecan waste. These results show an environmentally friendly alternative that increases the benefits for the global pecan industry, especially in rural areas, and transforms biomass into mushrooms with nutraceutical properties and biotechnological applications.

In the present study, Helianthus annuus grown in arsenic- (As) and lead- (Pb) contaminated soil were treated with plant-growth promoting fungi Trichoderma sp. MG isolated from decayed wood and assessed for their phytoremediation efficiency. The isolate MG exhibited a high tolerance to As (650mg/L) and Pb (500mg/L), and could remove > 70% of metals in aqueous solution with an initial concentration of 100mg/L each. In addition, the isolate MG was screened for plant-growth-promoting factors such as siderophores, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, indole acetic acid (IAA) synthesis, and phosphate solubilisation. Phytoremediation studies indicated that treatment of H. annuus with the isolate MG had the maximum metal-accumulation in shoots (As; 67%, Pb; 59%). Furthermore, a significant increase in the soil extracellular enzyme-activities was observed in myco-phytoremediated soils. The activities of phosphatase (35 U/g dry soil), dehydrogenase (41mg TPF/g soil), cellulase (37.2mg glucose/g/2h), urease (55.4mgN/g soil/2h), amylase (49.3mg glucose/g/2h) and invertase (45.3mg glucose/g/2h) significantly increased by 12%, 14%, 12%, 22%, 19% and 14% in As contaminated soil, respectively. Similarly, the activities of phosphatase (31.4U/g dry soil), dehydrogenase (39.3mg TPF/g soil), cellulase (37.1mg glucose/g/2h), urease (49.8mgN/g soil/2h), amylase (46.3mg glucose/g/2h), and invertase (42.1mg glucose/g/2h) significantly increased by 11%, 15%, 11%, 18%, 20% and 14% in Pb contaminated soil, respectively. Obtained results indicate that the isolate MG could be a potential strain for myco-phytoremediation of As and Pb contaminated soil.

Stomata in leaves regulate gas interchange and transpiration in the grapevine and through these pores both the penetration of aqueous solutions with nutrients as well as the excretion of products take place. The aim of this work was to study the influence of spraying the vineyard with toasted and untoasted oak extracts on the volatile composition and on the organoleptic quality of wine made from Garnacha grapes. The results were compared with a Garnacha control wine obtained with grapes sprayed with distilled water. The absorption of the compounds from the oak wood extracts was irregular and some of these compounds were modified by the yeast during fermentation so as to prevent fermentation problems. This was observed particularly in the case of furfural which were transformed into furfuryl alcohol by yeast in order to avoid irreversible cellular damage. On applying a discriminant analysis to the concentration of volatile compounds in the wines, the three treatments (control, toasted and untoasted oak extracts) were differentiate. The wine obtained from grapes treated with toasted oak extract showed a more intense wood aroma after 18 months of bottle aging than the other wines. Likewise, spicy aromas were found to be more intense in the samples treated with some type of oak wood extracts.

Microbiological monitoring represents one of the most useful methods to assess potential risks related to the integrity of cultural heritage. The objective of this work was to evaluate the fungal community prevalent in 64 different artworks of Montefeltro area (Marche, central Italy). A total of 293 swabs were collected and, among these, 2.3% resulted negative to cultural method, while 87.7% were positive for the presence of filamentous fungi, yeasts and Actinomycetes. Totally, 11 genera and 12 different species were recovered from Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA), Czapek Dox Agar (CDA), Malt Extract Agar (MEA), including 73 strains of Mycelia sterilia. Penicillium spp. was isolated mostly from canvases (28.8%), while Aspergillus spp. was most present in wooden artworks (25.3%). SDA was the best performing medium with 57.1% of isolations, followed by CDA and MEA with percentages of 24.8 and 18.1% respectively. This study could be useful to better understand the microorganism-related phenomena in cultural heritage of Marche region, identifying the potential risks and defining preventive protecting such as climate control, frequent cleaning and environmental monitoring.

The combination of autohydrolysis and ionic liquid microwave treatments of eucalyptus wood have been studied to facilitate sugar production in a subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis step. Three autohydrolysis conditions (150 °C, 175 °C and 200 °C) in combination with two ionic liquid temperatures (80 °C and 120 °C) were compared in terms of chemical composition, enzymatic digestibility and sugar production. Morphology was measured (using SEM) and the biomass surface was visualized with confocal fluorescence microscopy. The synergistic cooperation of both treatments was demonstrated, enhancing cellulose accessibility. At intermediate autohydrolysis conditions (175 °C) and low ionic liquid temperature (80 °C), a glucan digestibility of 84.4% was obtained. Using SEM micrographs, fractal dimension (as a measure of biomass complexity) and lacunarity (as a measure of homogeneity) were calculated before and after pretreatment. High fractals dimensions and low lacunarities correspond to morphologically complex and homogeneous samples, that are better digested by enzyme cocktails.

Wood-degrading fungi that selectively remove carbohydrates (brown rot) combine Fenton-based oxidation and enzymatic hydrolysis to degrade wood. These two steps are incompatible in close proximity. To explain this, brown rot fungi may stagger oxidative reactions ahead of hydrolysis, but the scale and environmental controls for such a mechanism have not been resolved in solid wood. Here, we focused on one reaction control parameter, oxalate. In coordination with Fe3+-reducing compounds (e.g., 2,5-dimethoxyhydroquinone), oxalate can either promote Fenton chemistry by mobilizing Fe3+ as mono-oxalates (facilitative) or inhibit Fenton chemistry (protective) by restricting reducibility and the formation of Fenton’s reagent as Fe3+/Fe2-(oxalate)2,3. Here, we sectioned wood wafers colonized directionally by Postia placenta and Gloeophyllum trabeum to map end-to-end the expression of oxalate synthesis genes and to overlay enzyme activities, metabolites, and wood modifications. Near advancing hyphal fronts, oxaloacetase expression was up upregulated for both fungi, while regulation patterns of paralogous of isocitrate lyases and glyoxylate dehydrogenases varied, suggesting different physiological roles. Oxalate decarboxylase (ODC) expression in G. trabeum was induced in more decayed wood behind the hyphal front, but was constitutively expressed in all P. placenta sections. Relative ODC activities increased and oxalate levels stabilized in more decayed wood behind the hyphal front. Endoglucanase (EG) activity, on the other hand, peaked for both fungi in later decay stages. These oxalate optimization patterns are in line with previous whole-block ‘spiking’ experiments tracking oxalate, but we provide here information on its genetic controls across a spatial gradient. As a complement, we also demonstrate in vitro the plausibility of a protective role for oxalate, to emphasize that these fungi might be optimizing oxalate at a given level to maximize Fenton reactions but to minimize oxidative damage.

Some marine invertebrates can inhabit floating substrates, and raft over long distances, becoming a significant environmental problem in terms of alien species and habitat disruption. On the Atlantico Department beaches (Colombia) woody debris and plastic litter dominate (86%) the types of refuse on the beaches with their densities ranging from 0.82–1.72 items m−1. Such litter and woody debris generate the optimal conditions for floating colonizers. In this work, 26 beaches were surveyed, and 16 of them (62%) were found to have marine fauna using litter and woody debris as a substrate for potential rafting and dispersal. Serpulidae polychaete tubes, goose barnacles Lepas (Anatifa) anserifera Linnaeus, 1767, and the bryozoans Arbopercula tenella (Hincks, 1880), Arbopercula angulata (Levinsen, 1909), plus three unidentified species were found colonizing woody debris, seeds, plastic and glass bottles. These findings of woody debris and litter facilitating the arrival and dispersal of non-native species on this coast, demonstrate that preventive management of such refuse in coastal habitats goes beyond simply preserving coastal esthetics.

Three previously undescribed dihydronaphthalenones, 7-hydroxycatalponol, (4 S )-3,4-dihydro-4-hydroxy-2-[(2 R )-2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylbutylidene]naphthalen-1(2 H )-one, and (6 S )-5,6-dihydro-6-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2 H -benzo[ h ]chromen-4(3 H )-one and one phthalide, (±)-3-(5-hydroxy-5-methyl-2-oxohex-3-en-1-yl)isobenzofuran-1(3 H )-one, were isolated from the wood of Catalpa ovata G. Don (Bignoniaceae), together with six known compounds. The structures of the previously undescribed compounds were elucidated by interpretation of 1D and 2D NMR data. The absolute configurations of the dihydronaphthalenones were deduced by analysis of the ECD data and application of Mosher ester methodology. All isolates were investigated for their cytoprotective effects against hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells. Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of antioxidant enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H:quinine oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in HepG2 cells were examined by RT-PCR analysis. As a result, catalponol and epi -catalponol showed antioxidant activities via directly scavenging of intracellular ROS and inducing the antioxidant enzymes in vitro .

The effective separations of cellulose and hemicelluloses from cellulosic fibers are the prerequisite for creating high-value to the abundant and green cellulose materials. In this study, the process concept of cellulase pretreatment, followed by a cold caustic extraction (CCE) was investigated for a softwood sulfite pulp. The results showed that the cellulase pretreatment led to favorable fiber morphological changes, including the increases of the specific surface area (SSA), pore volume and diameter, and the water retention value (WVR). These changes can induce more pronounced fiber swelling in the subsequent CCE process so that the hemicelluloses removal is enhanced. After the cellulase pretreatment (cellulase dosage of 1 mg/g) and CCE process, the cellulose purity was as high as 97.49%, while the hemicelluloses removal selectivity reached 76.42%.