title: Ferulic acid: a key component in grass lignocellulose recalcitrance to hydrolysis.
abstract: In the near future, grasses must provide most of the biomass for the production of renewable fuels. However, grass cell walls are characterized by a large quantity of hydroxycinnamic acids such as ferulic and p-coumaric acids, which are thought to reduce the biomass saccharification. Ferulic acid (FA) binds to lignin, polysaccharides and structural proteins of grass cell walls cross-linking these components. A controlled reduction of FA level or of FA cross-linkages in plants of industrial interest can improve the production of cellulosic ethanol. Here, we review the biosynthesis and roles of FA in cell wall architecture and in grass biomass recalcitrance to enzyme hydrolysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dyoni Matias
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finger-Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thatiane Rodrigues
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Victor Hugo
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Salvador
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia Carolina
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Moreira-Vilar
authors.affiliation: Division of Agroenergy, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hugo Bruno Correa
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.affiliation: Plant Biology and Crop Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Rowan Andrew Craig
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marchiosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ferrarese-Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wanderley Dantas
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: dos Santos
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003373:Coumaric Acids; D011134:Polysaccharides; C036909:lignocellulose; D008031:Lignin; C004999:ferulic acid
keywords: BAHD acyl-CoA transferases; cellulosic ethanol; lignocellulose; phenylpropanoid pathway; saccharification; type II cell wall