Sequential extraction of maize stem and analysis of its lignin structure

What is it about?

In the current study, the authors carried out systematic isolation and characterization of maize stem lignins. The isolation was conducted in a sequential manner, before and after hydrolytic treatment of cellulose with endoglucanase enzyme. In addition to isolation of major part of maize lignin in the first alkaline extraction, the procedure enabled us to isolate lignin from deeper cell wall sections. Thioacidolysis of two lignin fractions revealed significantly different chemical structures.

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Why is it important?

This study revealed in quantitative terms heterogeneity of maize lignin across cell walls. The first type of lignin is easily isolated by alkaline extraction, but isolation of the second type of lignin requires partial hydrolysis of cellulose. Lignin of the first type contained 12-fold proportion of non-condensed inter-units compared to the highly condensed lignin of the second type. These results suggest that isolation of lignin could be conducted in order to obtain preferred properties.