“Third generation” biofuel feedstocks have been defined as crops whose properties have been modified (often by molecular biology techniques) to make them more amenable to specific bioconversion processes. Examples of recently reported third generation biofuel feedstocks are: “low-lignin transgenic trees”, or genetically modified maize with embedded cellulase enzymes in the leaves and stalk. Low lignin trees were developed to reduce costs of pretreating lignocellulosic biomass for cellulose-ethanol production. Cellulase-embedded stalks in maize also would reduce enzyme costs in the saccharification (cellulose to sugar conversion) step for cellulose-ethanol production. Recently, studies on signal proteins associated with plant cell wall development have been reported to potentially provide new tools for production of new third generation biofuel feedstocks. A team of scientists from Purdue University (United States) have discovered that a protein called “SPIKE1”, directs the protein signaling pathway associated with plant growth and cell wall development. By understanding the mechanisms that drive “SPIKE1”, the scientists hope to be able to develop tools to “design plants that are bigger and with more cell wall that can be processed into biofuel”. The results of their research are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) (URL above)..