Item No. 1 of 1

INVESTIGATOR: Muthan, B.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
PO BOX 1000
INSTITUTE, WEST VIRGINIA 25112

GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF SWITCHGRASS FOR ENERGY USES

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Plant oils represent one of the most energy-rich sources of renewable hydrocarbons; they are stored in the form of triacylglycerols (TAGs) which are used as alternative feedstocks for biofuel or bioproduct production. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial, warm-season, dedicated bioenergy crop capable of producing a higher biomass suitable as a bioenergy feedstock. Studies have shown the promise of growing switchgrass on West Virginia's reclaimed surface mine lands--and even of producing biomass greater than that of a comparable target yield on agricultural lands. In switchgrass, trait improvement by traditional breeding is hampered due to genetic complexity and availability of resources. Biotechnology, however, offers creative ways for the genetic improvement of switchgrass focusing on the desired traits that are not present in nature. It is possible to alter a specific pathway in switchgrass by ectopic introduction of an Arabidopsis enzyeme/transcription factor. Our overall goal is to generate oil rich switchgrass plants capable of growing on large areas of Appalachian surface coal mine lands. Development of tools such as gene constructs and genome edited transgenic lines, will be of importance to scientists working in basic and applied energy research. Sharing of large-scale sequencing data in this project with the broader scientific community will support research projects beyond oils. In accordance with our mission as an 1890 land grant institution, our principal educational objective is to create STEM-centric learning and vocational opportunities for minority (and often first-generation) college students who come from a region with the lowest college attendance rate in the nation. Educational activities will include advanced training in experimental methods, field experience in academic laboratories, mentorships, and travel to make presentations at state, regional, and national conferences.

OBJECTIVES: The goals of this research are to explore a variety of genomics, biochemical, genetic, and molecular approaches to understanding fatty acids and triacylglycerols (TAGs) synthesis in vegetative tissues of plants. We will use this knowledge to reprogram leaves to accumulate TAGs through the alteration of key transcription factors/genes central to converting sugars to oils in high biomass-yielding crop switchgrass capable of growing on large areas of Appalachian surface coal mine lands. Our project will be designed to achieve the following objectives: 1) investigate lipid metabolism in switchgrass in response to coal mine soils; 2) engineer fatty acids and TAGs biosynthesis in switchgrass; and 3) develop a gene editing system for switchgrass.