title: A phenol-enriched cuticle is ancestral to lignin evolution in land plants.
abstract: Lignin, one of the most abundant biopolymers on Earth, derives from the plant phenolic metabolism. It appeared upon terrestrialization and is thought critical for plant colonization of land. Early diverging land plants do not form lignin, but already have elements of its biosynthetic machinery. Here we delete in a moss the P450 oxygenase that defines the entry point in angiosperm lignin metabolism, and find that its pre-lignin pathway is essential for development. This pathway does not involve biochemical regulation via shikimate coupling, but instead is coupled with ascorbate catabolism, and controls the synthesis of the moss cuticle, which prevents desiccation and organ fusion. These cuticles share common features with lignin, cutin and suberin, and may represent the extant representative of a common ancestor. Our results demonstrate a critical role for the ancestral phenolic metabolism in moss erect growth and cuticle permeability, consistent with importance in plant adaptation to terrestrial conditions.
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.|Faculty of Biology, Chair of Plant Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.|University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study, 5 allée du Général Rouvillois, 67000 Strasbourg, France.|Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 19, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0871-9912
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Renault
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.|Department of Biology &Centre for Forest Biology, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8P 5C2.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alber
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Chair of Plant Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nelly A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Horst
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR CNRS 7200, Université de Strasbourg, 74 route du Rhin, 67401 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basilio Lopes
authors.affiliation: Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Fich
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kriegshauser
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Chair of Plant Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Gertrud
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Pascaline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ullmann
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herrgott
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erhardt
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Emmanuelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pineau
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology &Centre for Forest Biology, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8P 5C2.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ehlting
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR CNRS 7200, Université de Strasbourg, 74 route du Rhin, 67401 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Jocelyn K C
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Chair of Plant Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.|University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study, 5 allée du Général Rouvillois, 67000 Strasbourg, France.|Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 19, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.|BIOSS - Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5496-6711
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reski
authors.affiliation: University of Strasbourg, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 12 rue du Général Zimmer, 67000 Strasbourg, France.|University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study, 5 allée du Général Rouvillois, 67000 Strasbourg, France.|Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 19, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Danièle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Werck-Reichhart
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019068:Bryopsida / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D003890:Desiccation; D019669:Embryophyta; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000378:metabolism; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010636:Phenols; C000521:cutin; D008031:Lignin; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D001205:Ascorbic Acid