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Dr. Simo Sarkanen

Professor
Ph.D. 1976, University of Washington
Wood and lignin chemistry
Phone: (612) 624-6227
E-mail: sarka001@umn.edu

Areas of Interest

My active research interests fall within the area of lignin chemistry and biochemistry. I am seeking further insights into the physicochemical properties of lignin components as a basis for developing new thermoplastics with the highest attainable contents of simple lignin derivatives. I wish to gain a clearer understanding of lignin biodegradation as a vehicle for producing the first true lignin degrading enzyme that biobleaches chemical pulp. I am trying to establish how lignins may be biosynthesized in nature through a template polymerization process involving direct macromolecular replication.

Prospective advisees should have a strong background in chemistry, biochemistry, or materials science, and be enthusiastic about the challenges of laboratory research.
Courses Taught

* ESPM 4607/5607 Industrial Biotechnology and the Environment

Selected Publications in the Lignin Field

Li, Y.; Sarkanen, S.: Miscible blends of kraft lignin derivatives with low-Tg polymers. Macromolecules 2005, 38, 2296-2306.

Chen, Y.-r.; Sarkanen, S.: Macromolecular lignin replication—a mechanistic working hypothesis. Phytochemistry Reviews 2003, 2, 235-255 ©2004.

Li, Y.; Sarkanen, S.: Biodegradable kraft lignin-based thermoplastics. In Biodegradable Polymers and Plastics; Chiellini, E., Solaro, R., Eds.; Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York, 2003, pp 121-139.

Li, Y.; Sarkanen, S.: Alkylated kraft lignin based thermoplastic blends with aliphatic polyesters. Macromolecules 2002, 35, 9707-9715.

Chen, Y.-r.; Jacobson, B.; Sarkanen, S.; Wang, Y.: The preliminary characterization of lignin depolymerase. Proc. 11th Internat. Symp. Wood Pulp. Chem. 2001, I, 313-316.

Sarkanen, S.; Li, Y.: Compositions Based on Lignin Derivatives. U.S. Patent 2001, No. 6,172,204 issued January 9.

Li, Y.; Sarkanen, S.: Thermoplastics with very high lignin contents. In Lignin—Historical, Biological, and Materials Perspectives; Glasser, W.G., Northey, R.A., Schultz, T.P., Eds. ACS Symp. Ser. 2000, 742, 351-366.

Lewis, N.G.; Davin, L.B.; Sarkanen, S.: The nature and function of lignins. In Comprehensive Natural Products Chemistry; Barton, D. H. R., Nakanishi, K., Meth-Cohn, O., Eds.; Elsevier Science: Oxford, U.K., 1999; Vol. 3 (Pinto, B. M., Vol. Ed.), pp 617–745.

Gang, D.R.; Costa, M.A.; Fujita, M.; Dinkova-Kostova, A.T.; Wang, H.-b.; Burlat, V.; Martin, W.; Sarkanen, S.; Davin, L.B.; Lewis, N.G.: Regiochemical control of monolignol radical coupling?a new paradigm for lignin and lignan biosynthesis. Chemistry & Biology 1999, 6, 143-151.

Nutsubidze, N.N.; Sarkanen, S.; Schmidt, E.L.; Shashikanth, S.: Consecutive polymerization and depolymerization of kraft lignin by Trametes cingulata. Phytochemistry 1998, 49, 1203-1212.

Sarkanen, S.: Template polymerization in lignin biosynthesis. In Lignin and Lignan Biosynthesis; Lewis, N.G., Sarkanen, S., Eds.; ACS Symp. Ser. 1998, 697, 194-208.

Li, Y.; Mlynár, J.; Sarkanen, S.: The first 85% kraft lignin-based thermoplastics. J. Polym. Sci. B: Polym. Phys. 1997, 35, 1899-1910.

Guan, S.-y.; Mlynár, J.; Sarkanen, S.: Dehydrogenative polymerization of coniferyl alcohol on macromolecular lignin templates. Phytochemistry 1997, 45, 911-918.

Davin, L.B.; Wang, H.-B.; Crowell, A.L.; Bedgar, D.L.; Martin, D.M.; Sarkanen, S.; Lewis, N.G.: Stereoselective bimolecular phenoxy radical coupling by an auxiliary (dirigent) protein without an active center. Science 1997, 275, 362-366.

Mlynár, J.; Sarkanen, S.: Renaissance in ultracentrifugal sedimentation equilibrium calibrations of size exclusion chromatographic elution profiles. In Strategies in Size Exclusion Chromatography; Potschka, M., Dubin, P.L., Eds. ACS Symp. Ser. 1996, 635, 379-400.

Himmel, M.E.; Mlynár, J.; Sarkanen, S.: Size exclusion chromatography of lignin derivatives: In Handbook of Size Exclusion Chromatography; Wu, C.-s., Ed.; Marcel Dekker: New York, 1995; Chromatographic Science Series Vol. 69, 353-379.

Sarkanen, S.: Enzymatic lignin degradation—an extracurricular view: In Enzymes in Biomass Conversion; Leatham, G.F., Himmel, M.E., Eds.; ACS Symp. Ser. 1991, 460, 247-269.

Sarkanen, S.; Razal, R.A.; Piccariello, T.; Yamamoto, E.; Lewis, N.G.: Lignin peroxidase—toward a clarification of its role in vivo. J. Biol. Chem. 1991, 266, 3636-3643.

Dutta, S.; Garver, T.M., Jr.; Sarkanen, S.: Modes of association between kraft lignin components. In Lignin—Properties and Materials; Glasser, W.G., Sarkanen, S., Eds.; ACS Symp. Ser. 1989, 397, 155-176.

Garver, T.M., Jr.; Sarkanen, S.: Kraft lignins—the legacy of native structural characteristics, I. Holzforschung 1986, 40 (Suppl.), 93-100.

Sarkanen, S.; Teller, D.C.; Stevens, C.R.; McCarthy, J.L.: Associative interactions between kraft lignin components. Macromolecules 1984, 17, 2588-2597.

Sarkanen, S.; Teller, D.C.; Abramowski, E.; McCarthy, J.L.: Kraft lignin component conformation and associated complex configuration in aqueous alkaline solution. Macromolecules 1982, 15, 1098-1104.

Sarkanen, S.; Teller, D.C.; Hall, J.; McCarthy, J.L.: Associative effects among organosolv lignin components. Macromolecules 1981, 14, 426-434.
2005 Funding

$40,000 from the Biocatalysis Initiative at the University of Minnesota for “Identification of the Lignin Depolymerase Gene,” March 2005 – January 2006.

$40,000 (with Pat Huelman as co-PI) from the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment at the University of Minnesota for “Lignin-based Thermoplastic Foams for Building Insulation,” June 2005 – May 2006.

$270,000 (with Steve Gantt, Department of Plant Biology as co-PI) from the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment at the University of Minnesota for developing a “Recombinant Lignin Depolymerase with Enhanced Catalytic Properties,” July 2005 – June 2008.