Research Website
http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~jamorgan/
Keywords
Thermodynamic, Arabidopsis, Group Contribution, Phenylpropanoid, Phenylalanine, Limiting, Pathway
Presentation Type
Event
Research Abstract
Biofuels represent a renewable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. As dependence on fossil fuels rise so does the importance of improving the production of alternative fuels. Lignin poses one obstacle in the development of such alternative fuels. Its presence strengthens cell walls and hinders degradation of polysaccharides into monosaccharides, increasing cost and time while decreasing efficiency of the process. Lignin is composed of three monolignols, each of which is produced through the Phenylpropanoid pathway; a series of chemical reactions. This work aims to determine which reactions in the pathway are least thermodynamically favorable and thus most limiting. From metabolic mapping techniques on the Phenylpropanoid pathway in Arabidopsis Thanliana and thermodynamic data on the Gibbs free energy of formation for the biochemical compounds, the change in Gibbs free energy of the reaction at intracellular conditions is calculated. For compounds which data is unavailable, Group Contribution methods are used to determine the Gibbs free energy of formation. Reactions involving Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, shikimate O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase, and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase yielded positive Gibbs free energy values in the pathway. Since reactions involving these enzymes have positive Gibbs free energy values, these reactions require the greatest concentration of enzyme in order to facilitate production of the three monolignols. Knocking out these enzymes should result in a decrease in monolignol and lignin production.
Session Track
Flow Analysis and Processing
Recommended Citation
Patrick J. Ioerger, Rohit Jaini, and John A. Morgan,
"Thermodynamic Analysis of Phenylpropanoid Pathway in Arabidopsis Thanliana"
(August 6, 2015).
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium.
Paper 64.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/surf/2015/presentations/64
Included in
Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Thermodynamics Commons
Thermodynamic Analysis of Phenylpropanoid Pathway in Arabidopsis Thanliana
Biofuels represent a renewable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. As dependence on fossil fuels rise so does the importance of improving the production of alternative fuels. Lignin poses one obstacle in the development of such alternative fuels. Its presence strengthens cell walls and hinders degradation of polysaccharides into monosaccharides, increasing cost and time while decreasing efficiency of the process. Lignin is composed of three monolignols, each of which is produced through the Phenylpropanoid pathway; a series of chemical reactions. This work aims to determine which reactions in the pathway are least thermodynamically favorable and thus most limiting. From metabolic mapping techniques on the Phenylpropanoid pathway in Arabidopsis Thanliana and thermodynamic data on the Gibbs free energy of formation for the biochemical compounds, the change in Gibbs free energy of the reaction at intracellular conditions is calculated. For compounds which data is unavailable, Group Contribution methods are used to determine the Gibbs free energy of formation. Reactions involving Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, shikimate O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase, and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase yielded positive Gibbs free energy values in the pathway. Since reactions involving these enzymes have positive Gibbs free energy values, these reactions require the greatest concentration of enzyme in order to facilitate production of the three monolignols. Knocking out these enzymes should result in a decrease in monolignol and lignin production.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/surf/2015/presentations/64