Holocellulose
Description
""Holocellulose"" is defined as the carbohydrate or polysaccharide portion of biomass which is composed of cellulose and hemicellulose. Holocellulose is obtained by removing lignin from said biomass [1]. This is done in a lab, as Holocellulose is not a naturally occurring compound. [2]. Cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose are among the most important compounds found in plant cell walls, and can be used to inform decomposition and N2O emission rates in soil [4].
Composition
Holocellulose is created following the removal of lignin from biomass, leaving the cellulose and hemicellulose. This is done in a lab, often to separate hemicellulose from lignin [2]. In nature, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose occur together in a form called lignocellulose. As a collective, lignocellulose can dictate and inform many properties of the soil. For example, a low lignin content compared to high cellulose and hemicellulose will predict high N2O emission rates and soil carbon decomposition [4].
Ecological Significance
Despite Holocellulose not existing in nature, it still may be used to inform soil properties. For example, cellulose and hemicellulose are more available to soil microbes than lignin is. This means that soil with a low lignin content as compared to cellulose and hemicellulose will have a higher decomposition rate. This can also be used to inform microbial biomass, soil pH, soil carbon, Nitrogen retention, and nitrate content [4]. Cellulose and hemicellulose is easier for microbes to break down than lignin, and the resulting catabolism of cellulose and hemicellulose by bacteria and fungi makes energy sources and stored carbon available for soil organisms [1].
Uses
Holocellulose is established within the biofuel, food, and paper industries [1]. Delignification of wood can produce “holo-fibers”, which can be used in certain nanotechnology applications [3].
In some cases, Holocellulose can be used to refer to a high cellulose and hemicellulose content and a low lignin content. It can be even used to refer to the cellulose and hemicellulose content of soil in isolation to lignin. While not technically a correct definition, this “faux holocellulose” can still be used to inform soil carbon decomposition rates as mentioned.
References
[1] Segato, F., Damásio, A. R. L., de Lucas, R. C., Squina, F. M., & Prade, R. A. (2014). Genomics Review of Holocellulose Deconstruction by Aspergilli. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR, 78(4), 588–613. https://doi.org/10.1128/MMBR.00019-14 [2] Holocellulose—An overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2025, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/holocellulose [3] Yang, X., & Berglund, L. A. (2021). Structural and Ecofriendly Holocellulose Materials from Wood: Microscale Fibers and Nanoscale Fibrils. Advanced Materials, 33(28), 2001118. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202001118 [4] Wei, J., Reichel, R., Islam, M. S., Wissel, H., Amelung, W., & Brüggemann, N. (2020). Chemical Composition of High Organic Carbon Soil Amendments Affects Fertilizer-Derived N2O Emission and Nitrogen Immobilization in an Oxic Sandy Loam. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00015