The genome of black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa (Torr. & Gray)

We report the draft genome of the black cottonwood tree, Populus trichocarpa. Integration of shotgun sequence assembly with genetic mapping enabled chromosome-scale reconstruction of the genome. More than 45,000 putative protein-coding genes were identified. Analysis of the assembled genome revealed a whole-genome duplication event; about 8000 pairs of duplicated genes from that event survived in the Populus genome. A second, older duplication event is indistinguishably coincident with the divergence of the Populus and Arabidopsis lineages. Nucleotide substitution, tandem gene duplication, and gross chromosomal rearrangement appear to proceed substantially more slowly in Populus than in Arabidopsis. Populus has more protein-coding genes than Arabidopsis, ranging on average from 1.4 to 1.6 putative Populus homologs for each Arabidopsis gene. However, the relative frequency of protein domains in the two genomes is similar. Overrepresented exceptions in Populus include genes associated with lignocellulosic wall biosynthesis, meristem development, disease resistance, and metabolite transport.

Lignin biosynthesis

The lignin biosynthetic pathway has been studied for more than a century but has undergone major revisions over the past decade. Significant progress has been made in cloning new genes by genetic and combined bioinformatics and biochemistry approaches. In vitro enzymatic assays and detailed analyses of mutants and transgenic plants altered in the expression of lignin biosynthesis genes have provided a solid basis for redrawing the monolignol biosynthetic pathway, and structural analyses have shown that plant cell walls can tolerate large variations in lignin content and structure. In some cases, the potential value for agriculture of transgenic plants with modified lignin structure has been demonstrated. This review presents a current picture of monolignol biosynthesis, polymerization, and lignin structure.

Genome-wide characterization of the lignification toolbox in Arabidopsis

Lignin, one of the most abundant terrestrial biopolymers, is indispensable for plant structure and defense. With the availability of the full genome sequence, large collections of insertion mutants, and functional genomics tools, Arabidopsis constitutes an excellent model system to profoundly unravel the monolignol biosynthetic pathway. In a genome-wide bioinformatics survey of the Arabidopsis genome, 34 candidate genes were annotated that encode genes homologous to the 10 presently known enzymes of the monolignol biosynthesis pathway, nine of which have not been described before. By combining evolutionary analysis of these 10 gene families with in silico promoter analysis and expression data (from a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis on an extensive tissue panel, mining of expressed sequence tags from publicly available resources, and assembling expression data from literature), 12 genes could be pinpointed as the most likely candidates for a role in vascular lignification. Furthermore, a possible novel link was detected between the presence of the AC regulatory promoter element and the biosynthesis of G lignin during vascular development. Together, these data describe the full complement of monolignol biosynthesis genes in Arabidopsis, provide a unified nomenclature, and serve as a basis for further functional studies.

Lignin biosynthesis and its integration into metabolism

Lignin is a principal structural component of cell walls in higher terrestrial plants. It reinforces the cell walls, facilitates water transport, and acts as a physical barrier to pathogens. Lignin is typically described as being composed of p-hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G), and syringyl (S) units that derive from the polymerization of the hydroxycinnamyl alcohols, p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohol, respectively. However, lignin also derives from various other aromatic monomers. Here, we review the biosynthetic pathway to the lignin monomers, and how flux through the pathway is regulated. Upon perturbation of the phenylpropanoid pathway, pathway intermediates may successfully incorporate into the lignin polymer, thereby affecting its physicochemical properties, or may remain soluble as such or as derivatized molecules that might interfere with physiological processes.

Superroot, a recessive mutation in Arabidopsis, confers auxin overproduction

We have isolated seven allelic recessive Arabidopsis mutants, designated superroot (sur1-1 to sur1-7), displaying several abnormalities reminiscent of auxin effects. These characteristics include small and epinastic cotyledons, an elongated hypocotyl in which the connection between the stele and cortical and epidermal cells disintegrates, the development of excess adventitious and lateral roots, a reduced number of leaves, and the absence of an inflorescence. When germinated in the dark, sur1 mutants did not develop the apical hook characteristic of etiolated seedlings. We were able to phenocopy the Sur1- phenotype by supplying auxin to wild-type seedlings, to propagate sur1 explants on phytohormone-deficient medium, and to regenerate shoots from these explants by the addition of cytokinins alone to the culture medium. Analysis by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry indicated increased levels of both free and conjugated indole-3-acetic acid. sur1 was crossed to the mutant axr2 and the altered-auxin response mutant ctr1. The phenotype of both double mutants was additive. The sur1 gene was mapped on chromosome 2 at 0.5 centimorgans from the gene encoding phytochrome B.

Lignin engineering

Lignins are aromatic polymers that are present mainly in secondarily thickened plant cell walls. Several decades of research have elucidated the main biosynthetic routes toward the monolignols and demonstrated that lignin amounts can be engineered and that plants can cope with large shifts in p-hydroxyphenyl/guaiacyl/syringyl (H/G/S) lignin compositional ratios. It has also become clear that lignins incorporate many more units than the three monolignols described in biochemistry textbooks. Together with the theory that lignin polymerization is under chemical control, observations hint at opportunities to design lignin structure to the needs of agriculture. An increasing number of examples illustrates that lignin engineering can improve the processing efficiency of plant biomass for pulping, forage digestibility and biofuels. Systems approaches, in which the plant's response to engineering of a single gene in the pathway is studied at the organismal level, are beginning to shed light on the interaction of lignin biosynthesis with other metabolic pathways and processes.

Lignin structure and its engineering

Studies on lignin structure and its engineering are inextricably and bidirectionally linked. Perturbations of genes on the lignin biosynthetic pathway may result in striking compositional and structural changes that in turn suggest novel approaches for altering lignin and even 'designing' the polymer to enhance its value or with a view toward its simpler removal from the cell wall polysaccharides. Basic structural studies on various native lignins increasingly refine our knowledge of lignin structure, and examining lignins in different species reveals the extent to which evolution and natural variation have resulted in the incorporation of 'non-traditional' phenolic monomers, including phenolics from beyond the monolignol biosynthetic pathway. As a result, the very definition of lignin continues to be expanded and refined.

Perturbation of indole-3-butyric acid homeostasis by the UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT74E2 modulates Arabidopsis architecture and water stress tolerance

Reactive oxygen species and redox signaling undergo synergistic and antagonistic interactions with phytohormones to regulate protective responses of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. However, molecular insight into the nature of this crosstalk remains scarce. We demonstrate that the hydrogen peroxide-responsive UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT74E2 of Arabidopsis thaliana is involved in the modulation of plant architecture and water stress response through its activity toward the auxin indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Biochemical characterization of recombinant UGT74E2 demonstrated that it strongly favors IBA as a substrate. Assessment of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), IBA, and their conjugates in transgenic plants ectopically expressing UGT74E2 indicated that the catalytic specificity was maintained in planta. In these transgenic plants, not only were IBA-Glc concentrations increased, but also free IBA levels were elevated and the conjugated IAA pattern was modified. This perturbed IBA and IAA homeostasis was associated with architectural changes, including increased shoot branching and altered rosette shape, and resulted in significantly improved survival during drought and salt stress treatments. Hence, our results reveal that IBA and IBA-Glc are important regulators of morphological and physiological stress adaptation mechanisms and provide molecular evidence for the interplay between hydrogen peroxide and auxin homeostasis through the action of an IBA UGT.

The role of the secondary cell wall in plant resistance to pathogens

Plant resistance to pathogens relies on a complex network of constitutive and inducible defensive barriers. The plant cell wall is one of the barriers that pathogens need to overcome to successfully colonize plant tissues. The traditional view of the plant cell wall as a passive barrier has evolved to a concept that considers the wall as a dynamic structure that regulates both constitutive and inducible defense mechanisms, and as a source of signaling molecules that trigger immune responses. The secondary cell walls of plants also represent a carbon-neutral feedstock (lignocellulosic biomass) for the production of biofuels and biomaterials. Therefore, engineering plants with improved secondary cell wall characteristics is an interesting strategy to ease the processing of lignocellulosic biomass in the biorefinery. However, modification of the integrity of the cell wall by impairment of proteins required for its biosynthesis or remodeling may impact the plants resistance to pathogens. This review summarizes our understanding of the role of the plant cell wall in pathogen resistance with a focus on the contribution of lignin to this biological process.

Caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE) is an enzyme in the lignin biosynthetic pathway in Arabidopsis

Lignin is a major component of plant secondary cell walls. Here we describe caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE) as an enzyme central to the lignin biosynthetic pathway. Arabidopsis thaliana cse mutants deposit less lignin than do wild-type plants, and the remaining lignin is enriched in p-hydroxyphenyl units. Phenolic metabolite profiling identified accumulation of the lignin pathway intermediate caffeoyl shikimate in cse mutants as compared to caffeoyl shikimate levels in the wild type, suggesting caffeoyl shikimate as a substrate for CSE. Accordingly, recombinant CSE hydrolyzed caffeoyl shikimate into caffeate. Associated with the changes in lignin, the conversion of cellulose to glucose in cse mutants increased up to fourfold as compared to that in the wild type upon saccharification without pretreatment. Collectively, these data necessitate the revision of currently accepted models of the lignin biosynthetic pathway.

A molecular timetable for apical bud formation and dormancy induction in poplar

The growth of perennial plants in the temperate zone alternates with periods of dormancy that are typically initiated during bud development in autumn. In a systems biology approach to unravel the underlying molecular program of apical bud development in poplar (Populus tremula x Populus alba), combined transcript and metabolite profiling were applied to a high-resolution time course from short-day induction to complete dormancy. Metabolite and gene expression dynamics were used to reconstruct the temporal sequence of events during bud development. Importantly, bud development could be dissected into bud formation, acclimation to dehydration and cold, and dormancy. To each of these processes, specific sets of regulatory and marker genes and metabolites are associated and provide a reference frame for future functional studies. Light, ethylene, and abscisic acid signal transduction pathways consecutively control bud development by setting, modifying, or terminating these processes. Ethylene signal transduction is positioned temporally between light and abscisic acid signals and is putatively activated by transiently low hexose pools. The timing and place of cell proliferation arrest (related to dormancy) and of the accumulation of storage compounds (related to acclimation processes) were established within the bud by electron microscopy. Finally, the identification of a large set of genes commonly expressed during the growth-to-dormancy transitions in poplar apical buds, cambium, or Arabidopsis thaliana seeds suggests parallels in the underlying molecular mechanisms in different plant organs.

Molecular phenotyping of the pal1 and pal2 mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana reveals far-reaching consequences on phenylpropanoid, amino acid, and carbohydrate metabolism

The first enzyme of the phenylpropanoid pathway, Phe ammonia-lyase (PAL), is encoded by four genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Whereas PAL function is well established in various plants, an insight into the functional significance of individual gene family members is lacking. We show that in the absence of clear phenotypic alterations in the Arabidopsis pal1 and pal2 single mutants and with limited phenotypic alterations in the pal1 pal2 double mutant, significant modifications occur in the transcriptome and metabolome of the pal mutants. The disruption of PAL led to transcriptomic adaptation of components of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, revealing complex interactions at the level of gene expression between these pathways. Corresponding biochemical changes included a decrease in the three major flavonol glycosides, glycosylated vanillic acid, scopolin, and two novel feruloyl malates coupled to coniferyl alcohol. Moreover, Phe overaccumulated in the double mutant, and the levels of many other amino acids were significantly imbalanced. The lignin content was significantly reduced, and the syringyl/guaiacyl ratio of lignin monomers had increased. Together, from the molecular phenotype, common and specific functions of PAL1 and PAL2 are delineated, and PAL1 is qualified as being more important for the generation of phenylpropanoids.

Structural variability and niche differentiation in the rhizosphere and endosphere bacterial microbiome of field-grown poplar trees

BACKGROUND

The plant microbiome represents one of the key determinants of plant health and productivity by providing a plethora of functional capacities such as access to low-abundance nutrients, suppression of phytopathogens, and resistance to biotic and/or abiotic stressors. However, a robust understanding of the structural composition of the bacterial microbiome present in different plant microenvironments and especially the relationship between below-ground and above-ground communities has remained elusive. In this work, we addressed hypotheses regarding microbiome niche differentiation and structural stability of the bacterial communities within different ecological plant niches.

METHODS

We sampled the rhizosphere soil, root, stem, and leaf endosphere of field-grown poplar trees (Populus tremula × Populus alba) and applied 16S rRNA amplicon pyrosequencing to unravel the bacterial communities associated with the different plant habitats.

RESULTS

We found that the structural variability of rhizosphere microbiomes in field-grown poplar trees (P. tremula × P. alba) is much lower than that of the endosphere microbiomes. Furthermore, our data not only confirm microbiome niche differentiation reports at the rhizosphere soil-root interface but also clearly show additional fine-tuning and adaptation of the endosphere microbiome in the stem and leaf compartment. Each plant compartment represents an unique ecological niche for the bacterial communities. Finally, we identified the core bacterial microbiome associated with the different ecological niches of Populus.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the complex host-microbe interactions of Populus could provide the basis for the exploitation of the eukaryote-prokaryote associations in phytoremediation applications, sustainable crop production (bio-energy efficiency), and/or the production of secondary metabolites.

A systems biology view of responses to lignin biosynthesis perturbations in Arabidopsis

Lignin engineering is an attractive strategy to improve lignocellulosic biomass quality for processing to biofuels and other bio-based products. However, lignin engineering also results in profound metabolic consequences in the plant. We used a systems biology approach to study the plant's response to lignin perturbations. To this end, inflorescence stems of 20 Arabidopsis thaliana mutants, each mutated in a single gene of the lignin biosynthetic pathway (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase1 [PAL1], PAL2, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase [C4H], 4-coumarate:CoA ligase1 [4CL1], 4CL2, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase1 [CCoAOMT1], cinnamoyl-CoA reductase1 [CCR1], ferulate 5-hydroxylase [F5H1], caffeic acid O-methyltransferase [COMT], and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase6 [CAD6], two mutant alleles each), were analyzed by transcriptomics and metabolomics. A total of 566 compounds were detected, of which 187 could be tentatively identified based on mass spectrometry fragmentation and many were new for Arabidopsis. Up to 675 genes were differentially expressed in mutants that did not have any obvious visible phenotypes. Comparing the responses of all mutants indicated that c4h, 4cl1, ccoaomt1, and ccr1, mutants that produced less lignin, upregulated the shikimate, methyl-donor, and phenylpropanoid pathways (i.e., the pathways supplying the monolignols). By contrast, f5h1 and comt, mutants that provoked lignin compositional shifts, downregulated the very same pathways. Reductions in the flux to lignin were associated with the accumulation of various classes of 4-O- and 9-O-hexosylated phenylpropanoids. By combining metabolomic and transcriptomic data in a correlation network, system-wide consequences of the perturbations were revealed and genes with a putative role in phenolic metabolism were identified. Together, our data provide insight into lignin biosynthesis and the metabolic network it is embedded in and provide a systems view of the plant's response to pathway perturbations.

Gene discovery in the wood-forming tissues of poplar: analysis of 5, 692 expressed sequence tags

A rapidly growing area of genome research is the generation of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in which large numbers of randomly selected cDNA clones are partially sequenced. The collection of ESTs reflects the level and complexity of gene expression in the sampled tissue. To date, the majority of plant ESTs are from nonwoody plants such as Arabidopsis, Brassica, maize, and rice. Here, we present a large-scale production of ESTs from the wood-forming tissues of two poplars, Populus tremula L. x tremuloides Michx. and Populus trichocarpa 'Trichobel.' The 5,692 ESTs analyzed represented a total of 3,719 unique transcripts for the two cDNA libraries. Putative functions could be assigned to 2,245 of these transcripts that corresponded to 820 protein functions. Of specific interest to forest biotechnology are the 4% of ESTs involved in various processes of cell wall formation, such as lignin and cellulose synthesis, 5% similar to developmental regulators and members of known signal transduction pathways, and 2% involved in hormone biosynthesis. An additional 12% of the ESTs showed no significant similarity to any other DNA or protein sequences in existing databases. The absence of these sequences from public databases may indicate a specific role for these proteins in wood formation. The cDNA libraries and the accompanying database are valuable resources for forest research directed toward understanding the genetic control of wood formation and future endeavors to modify wood and fiber properties for industrial use.

Downregulation of cinnamoyl-coenzyme A reductase in poplar: multiple-level phenotyping reveals effects on cell wall polymer metabolism and structure

Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) catalyzes the penultimate step in monolignol biosynthesis. We show that downregulation of CCR in transgenic poplar (Populus tremula x Populus alba) was associated with up to 50% reduced lignin content and an orange-brown, often patchy, coloration of the outer xylem. Thioacidolysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), immunocytochemistry of lignin epitopes, and oligolignol profiling indicated that lignin was relatively more reduced in syringyl than in guaiacyl units. The cohesion of the walls was affected, particularly at sites that are generally richer in syringyl units in wild-type poplar. Ferulic acid was incorporated into the lignin via ether bonds, as evidenced independently by thioacidolysis and by NMR. A synthetic lignin incorporating ferulic acid had a red-brown coloration, suggesting that the xylem coloration was due to the presence of ferulic acid during lignification. Elevated ferulic acid levels were also observed in the form of esters. Transcript and metabolite profiling were used as comprehensive phenotyping tools to investigate how CCR downregulation impacted metabolism and the biosynthesis of other cell wall polymers. Both methods suggested reduced biosynthesis and increased breakdown or remodeling of noncellulosic cell wall polymers, which was further supported by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and wet chemistry analysis. The reduced levels of lignin and hemicellulose were associated with an increased proportion of cellulose. Furthermore, the transcript and metabolite profiling data pointed toward a stress response induced by the altered cell wall structure. Finally, chemical pulping of wood derived from 5-year-old, field-grown transgenic lines revealed improved pulping characteristics, but growth was affected in all transgenic lines tested.

Dense genetic linkage maps of three Populus species (Populus deltoides, P. nigra and P. trichocarpa) based on AFLP and microsatellite markers

Populus deltoides, P. nigra, and P. trichocarpa are the most important species for poplar breeding programs worldwide. In addition, Populus has become a model for fundamental research on trees. Linkage maps were constructed for these three species by analyzing progeny of two controlled crosses sharing the same female parent, Populus deltoides cv. S9-2 x P. nigra cv. Ghoy and P. deltoides cv. S9-2 x P. trichocarpa cv. V24. The two-way pseudotestcross mapping strategy was used to construct the maps. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers that segregated 1:1 were used to form the four parental maps. Microsatellites and sequence-tagged sites were used to align homoeologous groups between the maps and to merge linkage groups within the individual maps. Linkage analysis and alignment of the homoeologous groups resulted in 566 markers distributed over 19 groups for P. deltoides covering 86% of the genome, 339 markers distributed over 19 groups for P. trichocarpa covering 73%, and 369 markers distributed over 28 groups for P. nigra covering 61%. Several tests for randomness showed that the AFLP markers were randomly distributed over the genome.

Metabolic engineering of novel lignin in biomass crops

Lignin, a phenolic polymer in the secondary wall, is the major cause of lignocellulosic biomass recalcitrance to efficient industrial processing. From an applications perspective, it is desirable that second-generation bioenergy crops have lignin that is readily degraded by chemical pretreatments but still fulfill its biological role in plants. Because plants can tolerate large variations in lignin composition, often without apparent adverse effects, substitution of some fraction of the traditional monolignols by alternative monomers through genetic engineering is a promising strategy to tailor lignin in bioenergy crops. However, successful engineering of lignin incorporating alternative monomers requires knowledge about phenolic metabolism in plants and about the coupling properties of these alternative monomers. Here, we review the current knowledge about lignin biosynthesis and the pathways towards the main phenolic classes. In addition, the minimal requirements are defined for molecules that, upon incorporation into the lignin polymer, make the latter more susceptible to biomass pretreatment. Numerous metabolites made by plants meet these requirements, and several have already been tested as monolignol substitutes in biomimetic systems. Finally, the status of detection and identification of compounds by phenolic profiling is discussed, as phenolic profiling serves in pathway elucidation and for the detection of incorporation of alternative lignin monomers.

Arabidopsis WAT1 is a vacuolar auxin transport facilitator required for auxin homoeostasis

The plant hormone auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) has a crucial role in plant development. Its spatiotemporal distribution is controlled by a combination of biosynthetic, metabolic and transport mechanisms. Four families of auxin transporters have been identified that mediate transport across the plasma or endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Here we report the discovery and the functional characterization of the first vacuolar auxin transporter. We demonstrate that WALLS ARE THIN1 (WAT1), a plant-specific protein that dictates secondary cell wall thickness of wood fibres, facilitates auxin export from isolated Arabidopsis vacuoles in yeast and in Xenopus oocytes. We unambiguously identify IAA and related metabolites in isolated Arabidopsis vacuoles, suggesting a key role for the vacuole in intracellular auxin homoeostasis. Moreover, local auxin application onto wat1 mutant stems restores fibre cell wall thickness. Our study provides new insight into the complexity of auxin transport in plants and a means to dissect auxin function during fibre differentiation.

Unravelling cell wall formation in the woody dicot stem

Populus is presented as a model system for the study of wood formation (xylogenesis). The formation of wood (secondary xylem) is an ordered developmental process involving cell division, cell expansion, secondary wall deposition, lignification and programmed cell death. Because wood is formed in a variable environment and subject to developmental control, xylem cells are produced that differ in size, shape, cell wall structure, texture and composition. Hormones mediate some of the variability observed and control the process of xylogenesis. High-resolution analysis of auxin distribution across cambial region tissues, combined with the analysis of transgenic plants with modified auxin distribution, suggests that auxin provides positional information for the exit of cells from the meristem and probably also for the duration of cell expansion. Poplar sequencing projects have provided access to genes involved in cell wall formation. Genes involved in the biosynthesis of the carbohydrate skeleton of the cell wall are briefly reviewed. Most progress has been made in characterizing pectin methyl esterases that modify pectins in the cambial region. Specific expression patterns have also been found for expansins, xyloglucan endotransglycosylases and cellulose synthases, pointing to their role in wood cell wall formation and modification. Finally, by studying transgenic plants modified in various steps of the monolignol biosynthetic pathway and by localizing the expression of various enzymes, new insight into the lignin biosynthesis in planta has been gained.

Quantitative trait loci and candidate gene mapping of bud set and bud flush in populus

The genetic control of bud phenology in hybrid poplar was studied by mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting the timing of autumn bud set and spring bud flush. The founders of the mapping pedigree were collected from widely separated latitudes to maximize segregating variation for dormancy-related traits in the F(2) generation-the female Populus trichocarpa parent is from Washington State (48 degrees N) and the male P. deltoides parent is from Texas (31 degrees N). Bud set and bud flush timing were measured on the F(2) generation in a replicated clonal field trial. Using a linkage map constructed of AFLP and microsatellite markers, three QTL controlling bud set and six QTL controlling bud flush were detected. Additionally, five candidate genes believed to be involved in perception of photoperiod (PHYB1, PHYB2) or transduction of abscisic acid response signals (ABI1B, ABI1D, and ABI3) were placed on the QTL map. PHYB2 and ABI1B were found to be coincident with QTL affecting bud set and bud flush.

Lignin: genetic engineering and impact on pulping

Lignin is a major component of wood, the most widely used raw material for the production of pulp and paper. Although the biochemistry and molecular biology underpinning lignin production are better understood than they are for the other wood components, recent work has prompted a number of re-evaluations of the lignin biosynthetic pathway. Some of the work on which these revisions have been based involved the investigation of transgenic plants with modified lignin biosynthesis. In addition to their value in elucidating the lignin biosynthetic pathway, such transgenic plants are also being produced with the aim of improving plant raw materials for pulp and paper production. This review describes how genetic engineering has yielded new insights into how the lignin biosynthetic pathway operates and demonstrates that lignin can be improved to facilitate pulping. The current technologies used to produce paper are presented in this review, followed by a discussion of the impact of lignin modification on pulp production. Fine-tuned modification of lignin content, composition, or both is now achievable and could have important economic and environmental benefits.

Lignin biosynthesis perturbations affect secondary cell wall composition and saccharification yield in Arabidopsis thaliana

BACKGROUND

Second-generation biofuels are generally produced from the polysaccharides in the lignocellulosic plant biomass, mainly cellulose. However, because cellulose is embedded in a matrix of other polysaccharides and lignin, its hydrolysis into the fermentable glucose is hampered. The senesced inflorescence stems of a set of 20 Arabidopsis thaliana mutants in 10 different genes of the lignin biosynthetic pathway were analyzed for cell wall composition and saccharification yield. Saccharification models were built to elucidate which cell wall parameters played a role in cell wall recalcitrance.

RESULTS

Although lignin is a key polymer providing the strength necessary for the plant's ability to grow upward, a reduction in lignin content down to 64% of the wild-type level in Arabidopsis was tolerated without any obvious growth penalty. In contrast to common perception, we found that a reduction in lignin was not compensated for by an increase in cellulose, but rather by an increase in matrix polysaccharides. In most lignin mutants, the saccharification yield was improved by up to 88% cellulose conversion for the cinnamoyl-coenzyme A reductase1 mutants under pretreatment conditions, whereas the wild-type cellulose conversion only reached 18%. The saccharification models and Pearson correlation matrix revealed that the lignin content was the main factor determining the saccharification yield. However, also lignin composition, matrix polysaccharide content and composition, and, especially, the xylose, galactose, and arabinose contents influenced the saccharification yield. Strikingly, cellulose content did not significantly affect saccharification yield.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the lignin content had the main effect on saccharification, also other cell wall factors could be engineered to potentially increase the cell wall processability, such as the galactose content. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the effect of lignin perturbations on plant cell wall composition and its influence on saccharification yield, and provide new potential targets for genetic improvement.