Engineering Monolignol p-Coumarate Conjugates into Poplar and Arabidopsis Lignins.
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.
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Rebecca A
RA
Smith
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Eliana
E
Gonzales-Vigil
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Steven D
SD
Karlen
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Ji-Young
JY
Park
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Fachuang
F
Lu
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Curtis G
CG
Wilkerson
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
Lacey
L
Samuels
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4.
John
J
Ralph
Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (R.A.S., E.G.-V., S.D.K., F.L., C.G.W., J.R., S.D.M.) andDepartments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (C.G.W.), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824;Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (R.A.S., S.D.K., F.L., J.R.);Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (R.A.S., F.L., J.R.); andDepartments of Wood Science (E.G.-V., J.-Y.P., S.D.M.) andBotany (L.S.), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4 shawn.mansfield@ubc.ca.
Shawn D
SD
Mansfield
D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D012275:Oryza / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D032107:Populus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011422:Propionates; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D003373:Coumaric Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011422:Propionates; D008031:Lignin; D000217:Acyltransferases; C495469:p-coumaric acid