Engineering Monolignol p-Coumarate Conjugates into Poplar and Arabidopsis Lignins. Issue 4 (28th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Rebecca A.; Gonzales-Vigil, Eliana; Karlen, Steven D.; Park, Ji-Young; Lu, Fachuang; Wilkerson, Curtis G.; Samuels, Lacey; Ralph, John; Mansfield, Shawn D.
• Is Part Of: Plant physiology. Volume 169:Issue 4(2015)
• Page Start: 2992
• Page End: 3001
• Publication Date: 2015-10-28
• Subjects: Plant physiology -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 571.2
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.15.00815
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-0889

Abstract

Abstract : Novel monolignol p-coumarate conjugates in eudicot lignin result from the introduction of a monocot acyltransferase. Abstract: Lignin acylation, the decoration of hydroxyls on lignin structural units with acyl groups, is common in many plant species. Monocot lignins are decorated with p -coumarates by the polymerization of monolignol p -coumarate conjugates. The acyltransferase involved in the formation of these conjugates has been identified in a number of model monocot species, but the effect of monolignol p -coumarate conjugates on lignification and plant growth and development has not yet been examined in plants that do not inherently possess p -coumarates on their lignins. The rice ( Oryza sativa ) p-COUMAROYL-Coenzyme A MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE gene was introduced into two eudicots, Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) and poplar ( Populus alba × grandidentata ), and a series of analytical methods was used to show the incorporation of the ensuing monolignol p -coumarate conjugates into the lignin of these plants. In poplar, specifically, the addition of these conjugates did not occur at the expense of the naturally incorporated monolignol p -hydroxybenzoates. Plants expressing the p-COUMAROYL-Coenzyme A MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE transgene can therefore produce monolignol p -coumarate conjugates essentially without competing with the formation of other acylated monolignols and without drastically impacting normal monolignol production.