High-Performance Lossy-Mode Resonance Sensor Based on Few-Layer Black Phosphorus

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) can be excited only by the transverse magnetic (TM)-polarized light in the conventional SPR sensor, whereas the lossy-mode resonance (LMR) can be achieved with both transverse electric (TE)- and TM-polarized lights. In this work, we propose a high-performance LMR sensor based on few-layer black phosphorus (BP), and the high quality factor (<i>Q</i>) of this BP-based LMR sensor for TE- and TM-polarized lights has been discussed. In comparison with that for the conventional SPR sensor, the <i>Q</i> factor for the proposed BP-based LMR sensor with both TE- and TM-polarized lights has been greatly improved. In particular, the highest <i>Q</i> factor as high as 2 × 10⁵ RIU^–1 can be obtained for the TM-polarized mode

Biomass Enzymatic Saccharification Is Determined by the Non-KOH-Extractable Wall Polymer Features That Predominately Affect Cellulose Crystallinity in Corn

<div><p>Corn is a major food crop with enormous biomass residues for biofuel production. Due to cell wall recalcitrance, it becomes essential to identify the key factors of lignocellulose on biomass saccharification. In this study, we examined total 40 corn accessions that displayed a diverse cell wall composition. Correlation analysis showed that cellulose and lignin levels negatively affected biomass digestibility after NaOH pretreatments at <i>p</i><0.05 & 0.01, but hemicelluloses did not show any significant impact on hexoses yields. Comparative analysis of five standard pairs of corn samples indicated that cellulose and lignin should not be the major factors on biomass saccharification after pretreatments with NaOH and H₂SO₄ at three concentrations. Notably, despite that the non-KOH-extractable residues covered 12%–23% hemicelluloses and lignin of total biomass, their wall polymer features exhibited the predominant effects on biomass enzymatic hydrolysis including Ara substitution degree of xylan (reverse Xyl/Ara) and S/G ratio of lignin. Furthermore, the non-KOH-extractable polymer features could significantly affect lignocellulose crystallinity at <i>p</i><0.05, leading to a high biomass digestibility. Hence, this study could suggest an optimal approach for genetic modification of plant cell walls in bioenergy corn.</p></div

Correlation analysis between lignocellulose CrI and the non-KOH-extractable wall polymer features.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Xyl/Ara of non-KOH-extractable hemicelluloses; (<b>B</b>) S/G of the non-KOH-extractable lignin.<b>*</b>Indicated as significant correlations at <i>p</i><0.05 levels (n = 8).</p

Correlative coefficients between lignocellulose CrI and two wall polymer features (Xyl/Ara, S/G).

<p><b>*</b> Indicated significant difference at <i>p</i><0.05 (n = 8).</p><p>Correlative coefficients between lignocellulose CrI and two wall polymer features (Xyl/Ara, S/G).</p

Detection of cell wall features in typical five pairs of corn samples.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Lignocellulosic CrI of raw material. (<b>B</b>) Xyl/Ara ratio of the non-KOH-extractable hemicelluloses; (<b>C</b>) S/G ratio of the non-KOH-extractable lignin. H/L/E Indicated as relatively high/low/equal biomass digestibility at pair.</p

Hexoses yields released from enzymatic hydrolysis after NaOH and H₂SO₄ pretreatments in corn samples.

<p><b>(A)</b> Pairs I-1, I-2 and I-3 samples; <b>(B)</b> Pairs II-1 and II-2 samples. Bar indicated as ± SD (n = 3).</p

Scanning electron microscopic observation of biomass residues in pairs II-1 and II-2 corn samples.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Biomass residues released from pretreatments with 1% NaOH and 1% H₂SO₄; (<b>B</b>) Biomass residues released from enzymatic hydrolysis after 1% NaOH and 1% H₂SO₄ pretreatments. Arrow indicated the rough face.</p

Proportions of two types of hemicelluloses and lignin in the typical corn samples.

a<p> Mean value ± SD (n = 8);</p>b<p> Minimum and maximum values;</p>c<p> Percentage of total polymer.</p><p>Proportions of two types of hemicelluloses and lignin in the typical corn samples.</p

MOESM1 of AtCesA8-driven OsSUS3 expression leads to largely enhanced biomass saccharification and lodging resistance by distinctively altering lignocellulose features in rice

Additional file 1: Figure S1. Gene expression profiling of OsSUS3 in life cycle of rice. Figure S2. Biomass enzymatic saccharification and ethanol production of the OsSUS3-transgenic rice plants. (a) Hexose yields released from enzymatic hydrolysis after the pretreatment with 1% NaOH or 1% H2SO4. (b) Bioethanol yields obtained from yeast fermentation using the sugars released from biomass enzymatic hydrolysis as performed in (a). All data are given as means ± SD. A Student’s t-test was performed between transgenic plants and ZH11 as **P < 0.01 and *P < 0.05 (n = 3)