Non-targeted discovery of high-value bio-products in Nicotiana glauca L: a potential renewable plant feedstock

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Natalia Carreno-Quintero - , Royal Holloway University of London, Keygene N.V. (Author)
  • Takayuki Tohge - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (Author)
  • Rebecca Van Acker - , Ghent University, VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (Author)
  • Lauren S. McKee - , KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Author)
  • Qi Zhou - , KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Author)
  • Antje Bolze - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (Author)
  • Xiaohui Xing - , KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Author)
  • Merve Özparpucu - , ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) (Author)
  • Markus Rüggeberg - , Chair of Forest Utilization, ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) (Author)
  • Thomas Piofczyk - , Pilot Pflanzenöltechnologie Magdeburg (Author)
  • Yaw Koram - , Neutral Supply Chain Limited (Author)
  • Vincent Bulone - , KTH Royal Institute of Technology, University of Adelaide (Author)
  • Wout Boerjan - , Ghent University, VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (Author)
  • Alisdair R. Fernie - , Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (Author)
  • Paul D. Fraser - , Royal Holloway University of London (Author)

Abstract

The evaluation of plant-based feedstocks is an important aspect of biorefining. Nicotiana glauca is a solanaceous, non-food crop that produces large amounts of biomass and is well adapted to grow in suboptimal conditions. In the present article, compatible sequential solvent extractions were applied to N. glauca leaves to enable the generation of enriched extracts containing higher metabolite content comparing to direct leaf extracts. Typically, between 60 to 100 metabolite components were identified within the fractions. The occurrence of plant fatty acids, fatty acid alcohols, alkanes, sterols and terpenoids was detected by gas liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and metabolite identification was confirmed by comparison of physico-chemical properties displayed by available authentic standards. Collectively, co-products such waxes, oils, fermentable sugars, and terpenoids were all identified and quantified. The enriched fractions of N. glauca revealed a high level of readily extractable hydrocarbons, oils and high value co-products. In addition, the saccharification yield and cell wall composition analyses in the stems revealed the potential of the residue material as a promising lignocellulosic substrate for the production of fermentable sugars. In conclusion a multifractional cascade for valuable compounds/commodities has been development, that uses N. glauca biomass. These data have enabled the evaluation of N. glauca material as a potential feedstock for biorefining. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number12
Journal Bioresources and Bioprocessing : BRBP
Volume11
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Bioproducts, Biorefinary, Metabolite profiling, Nicotiana glauca