![]() ![]() But to optimize the recipe, two tools were missing, which the Raleigh team has now been able to use. Over the last 20 years, geneticists have highlighted the role of numerous genes in the production of this lignin. In 2021, half of the 1.7 billion tonnes of raw material extracted generated waste, including the highly polluting black liquor. Despite the progress made, the process still requires the pulp to be heated to 170☌ and then exposed to soda or sulfur. But to transform the pulp of a pine or poplar tree into paper pulp, it has to be removed. Along with cellulose and hemicelluloses, it is one of the three main constituents of wood, giving the material its famous strength. In an article published in the journal Science, on Friday, July 14, his laboratory and that of his geneticist colleague Jack Wang announced that they have developed poplars capable of boosting the economic productivity of the forestry sector, while reducing its ecological footprint.Īt the heart of the challenge lies lignin. ![]() The French researcher, one of the pioneers of the CRISPR genome editing technique, believes he has found the solution. "Except that, to make paper or coatings out of them, it complicates the process." "They have exceptional longevity, sometimes lasting several centuries, put up with variations in climate on all scales, and all this while remaining in the same place: this physical and chemical resilience is incredible," he said. When it comes to trees, biochemist Rodolphe Barrangou, a professor at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, makes no secret of his admiration. ![]() Subscribers only An aerial photo shows a forest area where spruce trees used to stand after suffering from drought stress in a forest near Iserlohn, western Germany, on July 12, 2023. This promises phenomenal gains for both the paper industry and the environment.īy Nathaniel Herzberg Published on July 14, 2023, at 11:42 pm (Paris), updated on July 15, 2023, at 8:38 am Using CRISPR molecular scissors, an American team has modified the genome of poplars to reduce their lignin content. What if we modified trees' genes in order to produce cleaner paper? ![]()
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