Plant cell wall polymers as precursors for biofuels

The conversion of plant biomass into liquid transportation fuels is a complex process that could be simplified by altering the ratios of the cell wall polymers that constitute the main biomass components. The composition of biomass varies naturally depending upon plant species and cell type, including some highly specialized walls that consist mainly of a single component. Progress is being made in understanding the molecular basis of these natural variations in wall composition. This new knowledge will be a valuable resource that can be used during efforts to generate designer biofuel crops using either selected breeding methods or recombinant DNA techniques.