1
|
Li D, Chen L, Qiu X. Rapid synthesis of ferulic acid-derived lignin coated silver nanoparticles with low cytotoxicity and high antibacterial activity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024:134471. [PMID: 39102905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance and the rise of untreatable bacterial infections pose severe threats to human health. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have emerged as a promising antibacterial solution due to their broad-spectrum effectiveness. However, their relatively high cytotoxicity has limited their widespread application. In this study, ferulic acid (FA) was used as a reducing agent, while silver oxide served as a silver precursor to rapidly prepare FA-derived lignin (FAL) coated AgNPs (AgNPs@FAL) with a size ranging from 34.8 to 77.1 nm. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the coating of FAL endowed AgNPs@FAL with high stability, preventing the oxidation of AgNPs prior to antibacterial applications. Cell experiments further indicated that AgNPs@FAL exhibited lower cell toxicity (~80 % viability of normal kidney cells cultured at 25 μg/mL AgNPs@FAL) compared to fully exposed commercially available citrate-modified AgNPs (AgNPs@CA). Antibacterial experiments revealed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of AgNPs@FAL against E. coli and S. aureus were 12.5 μg/mL and 25 μg/mL, respectively, surpassing the antibacterial effect of AgNPs@CA, as well as ampicillin and penicillin. Additionally, AgNPs@FAL was capable of disrupting E. coli and S. aureus biofilm formation. This novel AgNPs@FAL formulation presents a promising antibacterial solution, addressing limitations observed in conventional drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Liheng Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Jieyang Branch of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Jieyang 515200, China.
| | - Xueqing Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vanhevel Y, De Moor A, Muylle H, Vanholme R, Boerjan W. Breeding for improved digestibility and processing of lignocellulosic biomass in Zea mays. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1419796. [PMID: 39129761 PMCID: PMC11310149 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1419796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Forage maize is a versatile crop extensively utilized for animal nutrition in agriculture and holds promise as a valuable resource for the production of fermentable sugars in the biorefinery sector. Within this context, the carbohydrate fraction of the lignocellulosic biomass undergoes deconstruction during ruminal digestion and the saccharification process. However, the cell wall's natural resistance towards enzymatic degradation poses a significant challenge during both processes. This so-called biomass recalcitrance is primarily attributed to the presence of lignin and ferulates in the cell walls. Consequently, maize varieties with a reduced lignin or ferulate content or an altered lignin composition can have important beneficial effects on cell wall digestibility. Considerable efforts in genetic improvement have been dedicated towards enhancing cell wall digestibility, benefiting agriculture, the biorefinery sector and the environment. In part I of this paper, we review conventional and advanced breeding methods used in the genetic improvement of maize germplasm. In part II, we zoom in on maize mutants with altered lignin for improved digestibility and biomass processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Vanhevel
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Astrid De Moor
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hilde Muylle
- Plant Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Melle, Belgium
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Z, Deuss PJ. The isolation of lignin with native-like structure. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108230. [PMID: 37558187 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Searching for renewable alternatives for fossil carbon resources to produce chemicals, fuels and materials is essential for the development of a sustainable society. Lignin, a major component of lignocellulosic biomass, is an abundant renewable source of aromatics and is currently underutilized as it is often burned as an undesired side stream in the production of paper and bioethanol. This lignin harbors great potential as source of high value aromatic chemicals and materials. Biorefinery schemes focused on lignin are currently under development with aim of acquiring added value from lignin. However, the performance of these novel lignin-focused biorefineries is closely linked with the quality of extracted lignin in terms of the level of degradation and modification. Thus, the reactivity including the degradation pathways of the native lignin contained in the plant material needs to be understood in detail to potentially achieve higher value from lignin. Undegraded native-like lignin with an as close as possible structure to native lignin contained in the lignocellulosic plant material serves as a promising model lignin to support detailed studies on the structure and reactivity of native lignin, yielding key understanding for the development of lignin-focused biorefineries. The aim of this review is to highlight the different methods to attain "native-like" lignins that can be valuable for such studies. This is done by giving a basic introduction on what is known about the native lignin structure and the techniques and methods used to analyze it followed by an overview of the fractionation and isolation methods to isolate native-like lignin. Finally, a perspective on the isolation and use of native-like lignin is provided, showing the great potential that this type of lignin brings for understanding the effect of different biomass treatments on the native lignin structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering (ENTEG), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Peter J Deuss
- Department of Chemical Engineering (ENTEG), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747, AG, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wouters M, Bastiaanse H, Rombauts S, de Vries L, De Pooter T, Strazisar M, Neutelings G, Vanholme R, Boerjan W. Suppression of the Arabidopsis cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1-6 intronic T-DNA mutation by epigenetic modification. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:3001-3016. [PMID: 37139862 PMCID: PMC7614886 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) transfer DNA (T-DNA) insertion collections are popular resources for fundamental plant research. Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1 (CCR1) catalyzes an essential step in the biosynthesis of the cell wall polymer lignin. Accordingly, the intronic T-DNA insertion mutant ccr1-6 has reduced lignin levels and shows a stunted growth phenotype. Here, we report restoration of the ccr1-6 mutant phenotype and CCR1 expression levels after a genetic cross with a UDP-glucosyltransferase 72e1 (ugt72e1),-e2,-e3 T-DNA mutant. We discovered that the phenotypic recovery was not dependent on the UGT72E family loss of function but due to an epigenetic phenomenon called trans T-DNA suppression. Via trans T-DNA suppression, the gene function of an intronic T-DNA mutant was restored after the introduction of an additional T-DNA sharing identical sequences, leading to heterochromatinization and splicing out of the T-DNA-containing intron. Consequently, the suppressed ccr1-6 allele was named epiccr1-6. Long-read sequencing revealed that epiccr1-6, not ccr1-6, carries dense cytosine methylation over the full length of the T-DNA. We showed that the SAIL T-DNA in the UGT72E3 locus could trigger the trans T-DNA suppression of the GABI-Kat T-DNA in the CCR1 locus. Furthermore, we scanned the literature for other potential cases of trans T-DNA suppression in Arabidopsis and found that 22% of the publications matching our query report on double or higher-order T-DNA mutants that meet the minimal requirements for trans T-DNA suppression. These combined observations indicate that intronic T-DNA mutants need to be used with caution since methylation of intronic T-DNA might derepress gene expression and can thereby confound results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Wouters
- VIB Center for Plants Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Héloïse Bastiaanse
- VIB Center for Plants Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stéphane Rombauts
- VIB Center for Plants Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lisanne de Vries
- VIB Center for Plants Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tim De Pooter
- Neuromics Support Facility, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mojca Strazisar
- Neuromics Support Facility, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Godfrey Neutelings
- Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle (UGSF), UMR 8576, CNRS, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- VIB Center for Plants Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- VIB Center for Plants Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kim H, Rencoret J, Elder TJ, del Río JC, Ralph J. Biomimetic oxidative copolymerization of hydroxystilbenes and monolignols. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade5519. [PMID: 36888720 PMCID: PMC9995074 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade5519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydroxystilbenes are a class of polyphenolic compounds that behave as lignin monomers participating in radical coupling reactions during the lignification. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of various artificial copolymers of monolignols and hydroxystilbenes, as well as low-molecular-mass compounds, to obtain the mechanistic insights into their incorporation into the lignin polymer. Integrating the hydroxystilbenes, resveratrol and piceatannol, into monolignol polymerization in vitro, using horseradish peroxidase to generate phenolic radicals, produced synthetic lignins [dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs)]. Copolymerization of hydroxystilbenes with monolignols, especially sinapyl alcohol, by in vitro peroxidases notably improved the reactivity of monolignols and resulted in substantial yields of synthetic lignin polymers. The resulting DHPs were analyzed using two-dimensional NMR and 19 synthesized model compounds to confirm the presence of hydroxystilbene structures in the lignin polymer. The cross-coupled DHPs confirmed both resveratrol and piceatannol as authentic monomers participating in the oxidative radical coupling reactions during polymerization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hoon Kim
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Jorge Rencoret
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida de la Reina Mercedes, 10, 41012, Seville, Spain
| | - Thomas J. Elder
- USDA-Forest Service, Southern Research Station 521 Devall Dr. Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - José C. del Río
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida de la Reina Mercedes, 10, 41012, Seville, Spain
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhao C, Yang J, Chen M, Chen W, Yang X, Ye H, Wang L, Wang Y, Shi J, Yue F, Ma X. Synthetic Lignin-Derived Therapeutic Nano Reagent as Intestinal pH-Sensitive Drug Carriers Capable of Bypassing the Gastric Acid Environment for Colitis Treatment. ACS NANO 2023; 17:811-824. [PMID: 36521055 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c11188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Oral drug delivery is a common route for management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but suffers from low bioavailability and systemic side effects during passage through the alimentary canal. Here, we present a therapeutic nano reagent of a ferulic acid-derived lignin nanoparticle (FALNP). We showed that FALNP with favorable antioxidant activity can regulate IBD. More importantly, the intestinal pH-responsive degradability of FALNP allows it to withstand the harsh gastric acid environment, bypass physiological barriers, and target the intestine for gastrointestinal delivery. In vivo experiments showed that oral administration of FALNP markedly relieved pathological symptoms in a mouse model of acute colitis by reducing oxidative stress and regulating the gut microbiome. By integrating anti-inflammatory medicine, FALNP also can be used as a bioactive carrier to exert a potent synergistic therapeutic effect. In addition to colitis, FALNP can be readily adaptable for use as a carrier platform for therapy of many other intestinal diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chengke Zhao
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jiali Yang
- Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases (Zheng Zhou), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Mingfeng Chen
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wenjun Chen
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xinyuan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases (Zheng Zhou), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Heng Ye
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Liying Wang
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jinjin Shi
- Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases (Zheng Zhou), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Fengxia Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xing Ma
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
De Meester B, Vanholme R, Mota T, Boerjan W. Lignin engineering in forest trees: From gene discovery to field trials. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 3:100465. [PMID: 36307984 PMCID: PMC9700206 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Wood is an abundant and renewable feedstock for the production of pulp, fuels, and biobased materials. However, wood is recalcitrant toward deconstruction into cellulose and simple sugars, mainly because of the presence of lignin, an aromatic polymer that shields cell-wall polysaccharides. Hence, numerous research efforts have focused on engineering lignin amount and composition to improve wood processability. Here, we focus on results that have been obtained by engineering the lignin biosynthesis and branching pathways in forest trees to reduce cell-wall recalcitrance, including the introduction of exotic lignin monomers. In addition, we draw general conclusions from over 20 years of field trial research with trees engineered to produce less or altered lignin. We discuss possible causes and solutions for the yield penalty that is often associated with lignin engineering in trees. Finally, we discuss how conventional and new breeding strategies can be combined to develop elite clones with desired lignin properties. We conclude this review with priorities for the development of commercially relevant lignin-engineered trees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara De Meester
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thatiane Mota
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhao X, Li P, Liu X, Xu T, Zhang Y, Meng H, Xia T. High temperature increased lignin contents of poplar (Populus spp) stem via inducing the synthesis caffeate and coniferaldehyde. Front Genet 2022; 13:1007513. [PMID: 36160001 PMCID: PMC9500204 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1007513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lignin contributes to plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and is dominantly regulated by enzymes which catalyze the generation of metabolites intermediates in lignin synthesis. However, the response of lignin and its key regulatory factors to high temperature stress are poorly understood. Here, this finding revealed that the content of lignin in poplar (Populus spp) stem increased after 3 days of high temperature stress treatment. In fourteen metabolic intermediates of lignin biosynthetic pathway with targeted metabolomics analysis, caffeate and coniferaldehyde increased evidently upon heat stress. C3’H (p-Coumaroylshikimate 3-hydroxylase) and CCR (Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase) are recognized to catalyze the formation of caffeate and coniferaldehyde, respectively. Transcriptome data and RT-qPCR (reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) analysis uncovered the high transcriptional level of PtrMYBs (PtrMYB021, PtrMYB074, PtrMYB85, PtrMYB46), PtrC3’H1 (Potri.006G033300) and PtrCCR2 (Potri.003G181400), suggesting that they played the vital role in the increase of lignin and its metabolic intermediates were induced by high temperature. The discovery of key regulators and metabolic intermediates in lignin pathway that respond to high temperature provides a theoretical basis for quality improvement of lignin and the application of forest resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xianyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Panpan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Xingwang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Tianyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
| | - Haifeng Meng
- Tai’an Forestry Protection and Development Center, Tai’an, China
| | - Tao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, School of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Xia,
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Unda F, Mottiar Y, Mahon EL, Karlen SD, Kim KH, Loqué D, Eudes A, Ralph J, Mansfield SD. A new approach to zip-lignin: 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate is compatible with lignification. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:234-246. [PMID: 35377486 PMCID: PMC9325543 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Renewed interests in the development of bioenergy, biochemicals, and biomaterials have elicited new strategies for engineering the lignin of biomass feedstock plants. This study shows, for the first time, that 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (DHB) is compatible with the radical coupling reactions that assemble polymeric lignin in plants. We introduced a bacterial 3-dehydroshikimate dehydratase into hybrid poplar (Populus alba × grandidentata) to divert carbon flux away from the shikimate pathway, which lies upstream of lignin biosynthesis. Transgenic poplar wood had up to 33% less lignin with p-hydroxyphenyl units comprising as much as 10% of the lignin. Mild alkaline hydrolysis of transgenic wood released fewer ester-linked p-hydroxybenzoate groups than control trees, and revealed the novel incorporation of cell-wall-bound DHB, as well as glycosides of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA). Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) analysis uncovered DHBA-derived benzodioxane structures suggesting that DHB moieties were integrated into the lignin polymer backbone. In addition, up to 40% more glucose was released from transgenic wood following ionic liquid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. This work highlights the potential of diverting carbon flux from the shikimate pathway for lignin engineering and describes a new type of 'zip-lignin' derived from the incorporation of DHB into poplar lignin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Faride Unda
- Department of Wood ScienceUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
- Department of EnergyGreat Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
| | - Yaseen Mottiar
- Department of Wood ScienceUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
- Department of EnergyGreat Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
| | - Elizabeth L. Mahon
- Department of Wood ScienceUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
- Department of EnergyGreat Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
| | - Steven D. Karlen
- Department of EnergyGreat Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison433 Babcock DriveMadisonWI53706USA
| | - Kwang Ho Kim
- Department of Wood ScienceUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
- Clean Energy Research CenterKorea Institute of Science and TechnologySeoul02792Korea
| | - Dominique Loqué
- Joint BioEnergy Institute5885 Hollis StreetEmeryvilleCA94608USA
| | - Aymerick Eudes
- Joint BioEnergy Institute5885 Hollis StreetEmeryvilleCA94608USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology DivisionLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCA94720USA
| | - John Ralph
- Department of EnergyGreat Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison433 Babcock DriveMadisonWI53706USA
| | - Shawn D. Mansfield
- Department of Wood ScienceUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
- Department of EnergyGreat Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
De Meester B, Vanholme R, de Vries L, Wouters M, Van Doorsselaere J, Boerjan W. Vessel- and ray-specific monolignol biosynthesis as an approach to engineer fiber-hypolignification and enhanced saccharification in poplar. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:752-765. [PMID: 34403547 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Lignin is one of the main factors determining recalcitrance to processing of lignocellulosic biomass towards bio-based materials and fuels. Consequently, wood of plants engineered for low lignin content is typically more amenable to processing. However, lignin-modified plants often exhibit collapsed vessels and associated growth defects. Vessel-specific reintroduction of lignin biosynthesis in dwarfed low-lignin cinnamoyl-CoA reductase1 (ccr1) Arabidopsis mutants using the ProSNBE:AtCCR1 construct overcame the yield penalty while maintaining high saccharification yields, and showed that monolignols can be transported between the different xylem cells acting as 'good neighbors' in Arabidopsis. Here, we translated this research into the bio-energy crop poplar. By expressing ProSNBE:AtCCR1 into CRISPR/Cas9-generated ccr2 poplars, we aimed for vessel-specific lignin biosynthesis to: (i) achieve growth restoration while maintaining high saccharification yields; and (ii) study the existence of 'good neighbors' in poplar wood. Analyzing the resulting ccr2 ProSNBE:AtCCR1 poplars showed that vessels and rays act as good neighbors for lignification in poplar. If sufficient monolignols are produced by these cells, monolignols migrate over multiple cell layers, resulting in a restoration of the lignin amount to wild-type levels. If the supply of monolignols is limited, the monolignols are incorporated into the cell walls of the vessels and rays producing them and their adjoining cells resulting in fiber hypolignification. One such fiber-hypolignified line had 18% less lignin and, despite its small yield penalty, had an increase of up to 71% in sugar release on a plant base upon saccharification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara De Meester
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Lisanne de Vries
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Marlies Wouters
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Jan Van Doorsselaere
- Higher Institute for Nursing and Biotechnology, VIVES University College, Wilgenstraat 32, Roeselare, 8800, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Joo Y, Kim H, Kang M, Lee G, Choung S, Kaur H, Oh S, Choi JW, Ralph J, Baldwin IT, Kim SG. Pith-specific lignification in Nicotiana attenuata as a defense against a stem-boring herbivore. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:332-344. [PMID: 34171146 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plants have developed tissue-specific defense strategies in response to various herbivores with different feeding habits. Although defense responses to leaf-chewing insects have been well studied, little is known about stem-specific responses, particularly in the pith, to stem-boring herbivores. To understand the stem-specific defense, we first conducted a comparative transcriptomic analysis of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata before and after attack by the leaf-chewing herbivore Manduca sexta and the stem borer Trichobaris mucorea. When the stem-boring herbivore attacked, lignin-associated genes were upregulated specifically in the inner parenchymal cells of the stem, the pith; lignin also accumulated highly in the attacked pith. Silencing the lignin biosynthetic gene cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase enhanced the performance of the stem-boring herbivore but had no effect on the growth of the leaf-chewing herbivore. Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance results revealed that lignified pith contains feruloyltyramine as an unusual lignin component in the cell wall, as a response against stem-boring herbivore attack. Pith-specific lignification induced by the stem-boring herbivore was modulated by both jasmonate and ethylene signaling. These results suggest that lignin provides a stem-specific inducible barrier, protecting plants against stem-boring insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youngsung Joo
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, Jena, 07745, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
- Department of Biology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, 28644, Korea
| | - Hoon Kim
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Ave., Madison, WI, 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Ave., Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Moonyoung Kang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Gisuk Lee
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, Jena, 07745, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Sungjun Choung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Harleen Kaur
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Shinyoung Oh
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University, Pyoeng-Chang, 25354, Korea
| | - Jun Weon Choi
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University, Pyoeng-Chang, 25354, Korea
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Ave., Madison, WI, 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Ave., Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Ian T Baldwin
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Straße 8, Jena, 07745, Germany
| | - Sang-Gyu Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
de Abreu LGF, Silva NV, Ferrari AJR, de Carvalho LM, Fiamenghi MB, Carazzolle MF, Fill TP, Pilau EJ, Pereira GAG, Grassi MCB. Metabolite profiles of energy cane and sugarcane reveal different strategies during the axillary bud outgrowth. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2021; 167:504-516. [PMID: 34425395 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Commercial cultivation of sugarcane is usually carried out by planting culm segments (sett) carrying buds in their internodes. However, this is an inefficient practice due to high sprouting irregularity. In this work, we inspect the first stages of the physiological preparation of the culm for sprouting, trying to identify compounds that actively participate in this process. We compared, during the first 48 h, the metabolic profile of sugarcane against energy cane, a cultivar known to have higher sprouting speed and consistency. In fact, during this short period it was possible to observe that energy cane already had a higher physiological activity than sugarcane, with significant changes in the catabolism of amino acids, increased levels of reducing sugars, lipids and metabolic activity in the phenylpropanoid pathway. On the other hand, sugarcane samples had just begun their activity during this same period, with an increase in the level of glutamate as the most significant change, which may be linked to the strategy of these cultivars to develop their roots before leaves, opposite of what is seen for energy cane. These results contribute to the development of strategies for increasing the efficiency of sprouting in sugarcane.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luís Guilherme F de Abreu
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil
| | - Nicholas V Silva
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil
| | - Allan Jhonathan R Ferrari
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil; Center for Computing in Engineering and Sciences. Campinas State University (UNICAMP), 13083-861, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas M de Carvalho
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil; Center for Computing in Engineering and Sciences. Campinas State University (UNICAMP), 13083-861, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Mateus B Fiamenghi
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo F Carazzolle
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil
| | - Taícia P Fill
- Laboratory of Biology Chemical Microbial (LaBioQuiMi). Institute of Chemistry, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo J Pilau
- Laboratory of Biomolecules and Mass Spectrometry (LabioMass). Department of Chemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil
| | - Gonçalo Amarante G Pereira
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil.
| | - Maria Carolina B Grassi
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy (LGE), Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Bioagents, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, 13083-864, SP, Brazil; Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), Impact Hub Geneva, Rue Fendt 1, 1201, Geneva, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Chen X, Yu H, Zhu J, Chen Y, Fu Z, Zhao Y, Yu Y, Chen X, Li X, Ma Q. Widely targeted metabolomic analyses of albino tea germplasm ‘Huabai 1’ and ‘Baiye 1’. ALL LIFE 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/26895293.2021.1933613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xuefei Chen
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hanpu Yu
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jin Zhu
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Chen
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhilu Fu
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuxin Zhao
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Yu
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuan Chen
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinghui Li
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qingping Ma
- College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Liu X, Van Acker R, Voorend W, Pallidis A, Goeminne G, Pollier J, Morreel K, Kim H, Muylle H, Bosio M, Ralph J, Vanholme R, Boerjan W. Rewired phenolic metabolism and improved saccharification efficiency of a Zea mays cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (zmcad2) mutant. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:1240-1257. [PMID: 33258151 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant byproduct from cereal crops that can potentially be valorized as a feedstock to produce biomaterials. Zea mays CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE 2 (ZmCAD2) is involved in lignification, and is a promising target to improve the cellulose-to-glucose conversion of maize stover. Here, we analyzed a field-grown zmcad2 Mutator transposon insertional mutant. Zmcad2 mutant plants had an 18% lower Klason lignin content, whereas their cellulose content was similar to that of control lines. The lignin in zmcad2 mutants contained increased levels of hydroxycinnamaldehydes, i.e. the substrates of ZmCAD2, ferulic acid and tricin. Ferulates decorating hemicelluloses were not altered. Phenolic profiling further revealed that hydroxycinnamaldehydes are partly converted into (dihydro)ferulic acid and sinapic acid and their derivatives in zmcad2 mutants. Syringyl lactic acid hexoside, a metabolic sink in CAD-deficient dicot trees, appeared not to be a sink in zmcad2 maize. The enzymatic cellulose-to-glucose conversion efficiency was determined after 10 different thermochemical pre-treatments. Zmcad2 yielded significantly higher conversions compared with controls for almost every pre-treatment. However, the relative increase in glucose yields after alkaline pre-treatment was not higher than the relative increase when no pre-treatment was applied, suggesting that the positive effect of the incorporation of hydroxycinnamaldehydes was leveled off by the negative effect of reduced p-coumarate levels in the cell wall. Taken together, our results reveal how phenolic metabolism is affected in CAD-deficient maize, and further support mutating CAD genes in cereal crops as a promising strategy to improve lignocellulosic biomass for sugar-platform biorefineries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Liu
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Rebecca Van Acker
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wannes Voorend
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Andreas Pallidis
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Goeminne
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jacob Pollier
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kris Morreel
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hoon Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
- Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, Wisconsin, 53726, USA
| | - Hilde Muylle
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - John Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
- Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, Wisconsin, 53726, USA
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zexer N, Elbaum R. Unique lignin modifications pattern the nucleation of silica in sorghum endodermis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:6818-6829. [PMID: 32154874 PMCID: PMC7709913 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Silicon dioxide in the form of hydrated silica is a component of plant tissues that can constitute several percent by dry weight in certain taxa. Nonetheless, the mechanism of plant silica formation is mostly unknown. Silicon (Si) is taken up from the soil by roots in the form of monosilicic acid molecules. The silicic acid is carried in the xylem and subsequently polymerizes in target sites to silica. In roots of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), silica aggregates form in an orderly pattern along the inner tangential cell walls of endodermis cells. Using Raman microspectroscopy, autofluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy, we investigated the structure and composition of developing aggregates in roots of sorghum seedlings. Putative silica aggregation loci were identified in roots grown under Si starvation. These micrometer-scale spots were constructed of tightly packed modified lignin, and nucleated trace concentrations of silicic acid. Substantial variation in cell wall autofluorescence between Si+ and Si- roots demonstrated the impact of Si on cell wall chemistry. We propose that in Si- roots, the modified lignin cross-linked into the cell wall and lost its ability to nucleate silica. In Si+ roots, silica polymerized on the modified lignin and altered its structure. Our work demonstrates a high degree of control over lignin and silica deposition in cell walls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nerya Zexer
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rivka Elbaum
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Soukup M, Rodriguez Zancajo VM, Kneipp J, Elbaum R. Formation of root silica aggregates in sorghum is an active process of the endodermis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:6807-6817. [PMID: 31504726 PMCID: PMC7709912 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Silica deposition in plants is a common phenomenon that correlates with plant tolerance to various stresses. Deposition occurs mostly in cell walls, but its mechanism is unclear. Here we show that metabolic processes control the formation of silica aggregates in roots of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), a model plant for silicification. Silica formation was followed in intact roots and root segments of seedlings. Root segments were treated to enhance or suppress cell wall biosynthesis. The composition of endodermal cell walls was analysed by Raman microspectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Our results were compared with in vitro reactions simulating lignin and silica polymerization. Silica aggregates formed only in live endodermal cells that were metabolically active. Silicic acid was deposited in vitro as silica onto freshly polymerized coniferyl alcohol, simulating G-lignin, but not onto coniferyl alcohol or ferulic acid monomers. Our results show that root silica aggregates form under tight regulation by endodermal cells, independently of the transpiration stream. We raise the hypothesis that the location and extent of silicification are primed by the chemistry and structure of polymerizing lignin as it cross-links to the wall.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milan Soukup
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Victor M Rodriguez Zancajo
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Janina Kneipp
- Chemistry Department and School of Analytical Sciences Adlershof (SALSA), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Strasse 2, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rivka Elbaum
- The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
De Meester B, Madariaga Calderón B, de Vries L, Pollier J, Goeminne G, Van Doorsselaere J, Chen M, Ralph J, Vanholme R, Boerjan W. Tailoring poplar lignin without yield penalty by combining a null and haploinsufficient CINNAMOYL-CoA REDUCTASE2 allele. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5020. [PMID: 33024118 PMCID: PMC7538556 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18822-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lignin causes lignocellulosic biomass recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis. Engineered low-lignin plants have reduced recalcitrance but often exhibit yield penalties, offsetting their gains in fermentable sugar yield. Here, CRISPR/Cas9-generated CCR2(−/*) line 12 poplars have one knockout CCR2 allele while the other contains a 3-bp deletion, resulting in a 114I115A-to-114T conversion in the corresponding protein. Despite having 10% less lignin, CCR2(−/*) line 12 grows normally. On a plant basis, the saccharification efficiency of CCR2(−/*) line 12 is increased by 25–41%, depending on the pretreatment. Analysis of monoallelic CCR2 knockout lines shows that the reduced lignin amount in CCR2(−/*) line 12 is due to the combination of a null and the specific haploinsufficient CCR2 allele. Analysis of another CCR2(−/*) line shows that depending on the specific CCR2 amino-acid change, lignin amount and growth can be affected to different extents. Our findings open up new possibilities for stably fine-tuning residual gene function in planta. Plants with reduced amounts of lignin typically suffer from dwarfed growth, which offsets their gain in fermentable sugar yield. Here, the authors show that genome-edited poplar lines with a null and a haploinsufficient allele of CINNAMOYL-COA REDUCTASE2 (CCR2) can be obtained that have a reduced lignin level and normal growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara De Meester
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.,VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Barbara Madariaga Calderón
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.,VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lisanne de Vries
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.,VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jacob Pollier
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Goeminne
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Van Doorsselaere
- Higher Institute for Nursing and Biotechnology, VIVES University College, Wilgenstraat 32, 8800, Roeselare, Belgium
| | - Mingjie Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.,US Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.,US Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.,VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium. .,VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Grabber JH, Davidson C, Tobimatsu Y, Kim H, Lu F, Zhu Y, Opietnik M, Santoro N, Foster CE, Yue F, Ress D, Pan X, Ralph J. Structural features of alternative lignin monomers associated with improved digestibility of artificially lignified maize cell walls. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 287:110070. [PMID: 31481197 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Plant biologists are seeking new approaches for modifying lignin to improve the digestion and utilization of structural polysaccharides in crop cultivars for the production of biofuels, biochemicals, and livestock. To identify promising targets for lignin bioengineering, we artificially lignified maize (Zea mays L.) cell walls with normal monolignols plus 21 structurally diverse alternative monomers to assess their suitability for lignification and for improving fiber digestibility. Lignin formation and structure were assessed by mass balance, Klason lignin, acetyl bromide lignin, gel-state 2D-NMR and thioacidolysis procedures, and digestibility was evaluated with rumen microflora and from glucose production by fungal enzymes following mild acid or base pretreatments. Highly acidic or hydrophilic monomers proved unsuitable for lignin modification because they severely depressed cell wall lignification. By contrast, monomers designed to moderately alter hydrophobicity or introduce cleavable acetal, amide, or ester functionalities into the polymer often readily formed lignin, but most failed to improve digestibility, even after chemical pretreatment. Fortunately, several types of phenylpropanoid derivatives containing multiple ester-linked catechol or pyrogallol units were identified as desirable genetic engineering targets because they readily formed wall-bound polymers and improved digestibility, presumably by blocking cross-linking of lignin to structural polysaccharides and promoting lignin fragmentation during mild acidic and especially alkaline pretreatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christy Davidson
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Hoon Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Fachuang Lu
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yimin Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Martina Opietnik
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nicholas Santoro
- D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Cliff E Foster
- D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Fengxia Yue
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Dino Ress
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xuejun Pan
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry, and D.O.E. Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
OsCAldOMT1 is a bifunctional O-methyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of tricin-lignins in rice cell walls. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11597. [PMID: 31406182 PMCID: PMC6690965 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47957-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Lignin is a phenylpropanoid polymer produced in the secondary cell walls of vascular plants. Although most eudicot and gymnosperm species generate lignins solely via polymerization of p-hydroxycinnamyl alcohols (monolignols), grasses additionally use a flavone, tricin, as a natural lignin monomer to generate tricin-incorporated lignin polymers in cell walls. We previously found that disruption of a rice 5-HYDROXYCONIFERALDEHYDE O-METHYLTRANSFERASE (OsCAldOMT1) reduced extractable tricin-type metabolites in rice vegetative tissues. This same enzyme has also been implicated in the biosynthesis of sinapyl alcohol, a monolignol that constitutes syringyl lignin polymer units. Here, we further demonstrate through in-depth cell wall structural analyses that OsCAldOMT1-deficient rice plants produce altered lignins largely depleted in both syringyl and tricin units. We also show that recombinant OsCAldOMT1 displayed comparable substrate specificities towards both 5-hydroxyconiferaldehyde and selgin intermediates in the monolignol and tricin biosynthetic pathways, respectively. These data establish OsCAldOMT1 as a bifunctional O-methyltransferase predominantly involved in the two parallel metabolic pathways both dedicated to the biosynthesis of tricin-lignins in rice cell walls. Given that cell wall digestibility was greatly enhanced in the OsCAldOMT1-deficient rice plants, genetic manipulation of CAldOMTs conserved in grasses may serve as a potent strategy to improve biorefinery applications of grass biomass.
Collapse
|
20
|
Chanoca A, de Vries L, Boerjan W. Lignin Engineering in Forest Trees. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:912. [PMID: 31404271 PMCID: PMC6671871 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Wood is a renewable resource that is mainly composed of lignin and cell wall polysaccharides. The polysaccharide fraction is valuable as it can be converted into pulp and paper, or into fermentable sugars. On the other hand, the lignin fraction is increasingly being considered a valuable source of aromatic building blocks for the chemical industry. The presence of lignin in wood is one of the major recalcitrance factors in woody biomass processing, necessitating the need for harsh chemical treatments to degrade and extract it prior to the valorization of the cell wall polysaccharides, cellulose and hemicellulose. Over the past years, large research efforts have been devoted to engineering lignin amount and composition to reduce biomass recalcitrance toward chemical processing. We review the efforts made in forest trees, and compare results from greenhouse and field trials. Furthermore, we address the value and potential of CRISPR-based gene editing in lignin engineering and its integration in tree breeding programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Chanoca
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lisanne de Vries
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Low Lignin Mutants and Reduction of Lignin Content in Grasses for Increased Utilisation of Lignocellulose. AGRONOMY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/agronomy9050256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Biomass rich in lignocellulose from grasses is a major source for biofuel production and animal feed. However, the presence of lignin in cell walls limits its efficient utilisation such as in its bioconversion to biofuel. Reduction of the lignin content or alteration of its structure in crop plants have been pursued, either by regulating genes encoding enzymes in the lignin biosynthetic pathway using biotechnological techniques or by breeding naturally-occurring low lignin mutant lines. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of these studies, focusing on lignin (monolignol) biosynthesis and composition in grasses and, where possible, the impact on recalcitrance to bioconversion. An overview of transgenic crops of the grass family with regulated gene expression in lignin biosynthesis is presented, including the effect on lignin content and changes in the ratio of p-hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) units. Furthermore, a survey is provided of low-lignin mutants in grasses, including cereals in particular, summarising their origin and phenotypic traits together with genetics and the molecular function of the various genes identified.
Collapse
|
22
|
Yan X, Liu J, Kim H, Liu B, Huang X, Yang Z, Lin YCJ, Chen H, Yang C, Wang JP, Muddiman DC, Ralph J, Sederoff RR, Li Q, Chiang VL. CAD1 and CCR2 protein complex formation in monolignol biosynthesis in Populus trichocarpa. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:244-260. [PMID: 30276825 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Lignin is the major phenolic polymer in plant secondary cell walls and is polymerized from monomeric subunits, the monolignols. Eleven enzyme families are implicated in monolignol biosynthesis. Here, we studied the functions of members of the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) and cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) families in wood formation in Populus trichocarpa, including the regulatory effects of their transcripts and protein activities on monolignol biosynthesis. Enzyme activity assays from stem-differentiating xylem (SDX) proteins showed that RNAi suppression of PtrCAD1 in P. trichocarpa transgenics caused a reduction in SDX CCR activity. RNAi suppression of PtrCCR2, the only CCR member highly expressed in SDX, caused a reciprocal reduction in SDX protein CAD activities. The enzyme assays of mixed and coexpressed recombinant proteins supported physical interactions between PtrCAD1 and PtrCCR2. Biomolecular fluorescence complementation and pull-down/co-immunoprecipitation experiments supported a hypothesis of PtrCAD1/PtrCCR2 heterodimer formation. These results provide evidence for the formation of PtrCAD1/PtrCCR2 protein complexes in monolignol biosynthesis in planta.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojing Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Hoon Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Baoguang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
- Department of Forestry, Beihua University, Jilin, 132013, China
| | - Xiong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Zhichang Yang
- W.M. Keck FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Ying-Chung Jimmy Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
- Department of Life Sciences, Institute of Plant Biology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hao Chen
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Chenmin Yang
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Jack P Wang
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| | - David C Muddiman
- W.M. Keck FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry and DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
| | - Ronald R Sederoff
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Quanzi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
- Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Vincent L Chiang
- Forest Biotechnology Group, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Vanholme R, De Meester B, Ralph J, Boerjan W. Lignin biosynthesis and its integration into metabolism. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 56:230-239. [PMID: 30913460 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Vanholme
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Barbara De Meester
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53726, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Technologiepark 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Oyarce P, De Meester B, Fonseca F, de Vries L, Goeminne G, Pallidis A, De Rycke R, Tsuji Y, Li Y, Van den Bosch S, Sels B, Ralph J, Vanholme R, Boerjan W. Introducing curcumin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis enhances lignocellulosic biomass processing. NATURE PLANTS 2019; 5:225-237. [PMID: 30692678 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-018-0350-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Lignin is the main cause of lignocellulosic biomass recalcitrance to industrial enzymatic hydrolysis. By partially replacing the traditional lignin monomers by alternative ones, lignin extractability can be enhanced. To design a lignin that is easier to degrade under alkaline conditions, curcumin (diferuloylmethane) was produced in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana via simultaneous expression of the turmeric (Curcuma longa) genes DIKETIDE-CoA SYNTHASE (DCS) and CURCUMIN SYNTHASE 2 (CURS2). The transgenic plants produced a plethora of curcumin- and phenylpentanoid-derived compounds with no negative impact on growth. Catalytic hydrogenolysis gave evidence that both curcumin and phenylpentanoids were incorporated into the lignifying cell wall, thereby significantly increasing saccharification efficiency after alkaline pretreatment of the transgenic lines by 14-24% as compared with the wild type. These results demonstrate that non-native monomers can be synthesized and incorporated into the lignin polymer in plants to enhance their biomass processing efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Oyarce
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Barbara De Meester
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Fernando Fonseca
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lisanne de Vries
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Goeminne
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Andreas Pallidis
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Riet De Rycke
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Ghent University Expertise Centre for Transmission Electron Microscopy and VIB BioImaging Core, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yukiko Tsuji
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- US Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yanding Li
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- US Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Bert Sels
- Center for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- US Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium.
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Tsuji Y, Takata N, Sakamoto S, Nakagawa-Izumi A, Taniguchi T, Ralph J, Mitsuda N, Kajita S. Change in lignin structure, but not in lignin content, in transgenic poplar overexpressing the rice master regulator of secondary cell wall biosynthesis. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2018; 163:170-182. [PMID: 29266248 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Revised: 12/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We previously succeeded in enhancing wood formation of wood in transgenic poplar plants by overexpressing secondary wall NAM/ATAF/CUC (NAC) domain protein 1 from Oryza sativa (OsSWN1), a transcription factor 'master regulator' of secondary cell wall formation in rice, under control of the fiber preferential NST3/SND1 promoter from Arabidopsis. Transgenic plants had an increased cell wall thickness and cell wall density of individual cells in the secondary xylem of stems as well as an increased wood density. OsSWN1 triggers the induction of polysaccharide and lignin biosynthetic gene expressions, however, resulting in no significant impact on the lignin content in the transgenic plants. In contrast, wet and dry chemical analyses of lignin revealed changes in S/G ratio and in the composition of lignin interunit linkages in transgenic lines. The results from gene expression analysis suggest that the structural changes in lignin were due to an unbalanced induction of lignin biosynthetic genes in transgenic lines. Our present data indicate that the overexpression of the chimeric transcription factor causes accelerated deposition of secondary cell wall components including lignin and polysaccharides through an acquired mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Tsuji
- US Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Naoki Takata
- Forest Bio-Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Hitachi, Ibaraki, 319-1301, Japan
| | - Shingo Sakamoto
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8566, Japan
| | - Akiko Nakagawa-Izumi
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Toru Taniguchi
- Forest Bio-Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Hitachi, Ibaraki, 319-1301, Japan
| | - John Ralph
- US Department of Energy, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Nobutaka Mitsuda
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8566, Japan
| | - Shinya Kajita
- Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Identification, classification and transcriptional profiles of dirigent domain-containing proteins in sugarcane. Mol Genet Genomics 2017; 292:1323-1340. [PMID: 28699001 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-017-1349-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Dirigent (DIR) proteins, encoded by DIR genes, are referred to as "dirigent" because they direct the outcome of the coupling of the monolignol coniferyl alcohol into (+) or (-) pinoresinol, the first intermediates in the enantiocomplementary pathways for lignan biosynthesis. DIR domain-containing or DIR-like proteins are, thus, termed for not having a clear characterization. A transcriptome- and genome-wide survey of DIR domain-containing proteins in sugarcane was carried out, in addition to phylogenetic, physicochemical and transcriptional analyses. A total of 120 non-redundant sequences containing the DIR domain were identified and classified into 64 groups according to phylogenetic and sequence alignment analyses. In silico analysis of transcript abundance showed that these sequences are expressed at low levels in leaves and genes in the same phylogenetic clade have similar expression patterns. Expression analysis of ShDIR1-like transcripts in the culm internodes of sugarcane demonstrates their abundance in mature internodes, their induction by nitrogen fertilization and their predominant expression in cells that have a lignified secondary cell wall, such as vascular bundles of young internodes and parenchymal cells of the pith of mature internodes. Due to the lack of information about the functional role of DIR in plants, a possible relationship is discussed between the ShDIR1-like transcriptional profile and cell wall development in parenchyma cells of sugarcane culm, which typically accumulates large amounts of sucrose. The number of genes encoding the DIR domain-containing proteins in sugarcane is intriguing and is an indication per se that these proteins may have an important metabolic role and thus deserve to be better studied.
Collapse
|
27
|
Smith RA, Cass CL, Mazaheri M, Sekhon RS, Heckwolf M, Kaeppler H, de Leon N, Mansfield SD, Kaeppler SM, Sedbrook JC, Karlen SD, Ralph J. Suppression of CINNAMOYL- CoA REDUCTASE increases the level of monolignol ferulates incorporated into maize lignins. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2017; 10:109. [PMID: 28469705 PMCID: PMC5414125 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-017-0793-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cell wall polymer lignin provides structural support and rigidity to plant cell walls, and therefore to the plant body. However, the recalcitrance associated with lignin impedes the extraction of polysaccharides from the cell wall to make plant-based biofuels and biomaterials. The cell wall digestibility can be improved by introducing labile ester bonds into the lignin backbone that can be easily broken under mild base treatment at room temperature. The FERULOYL-CoA MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE (FMT) enzyme, which may be naturally found in many plants, uses feruloyl-CoA and monolignols to synthesize the ester-linked monolignol ferulate conjugates. A mutation in the first lignin-specific biosynthetic enzyme, CINNAMOYL-CoA REDUCTASE (CCR), results in an increase in the intracellular pool of feruloyl-CoA. RESULTS Maize (Zea mays) has a native putative FMT enzyme, and its ccr mutants produce an increased pool of feruloyl-CoA that can be used for conversion to monolignol ferulate conjugates. The decreased lignin content and monomers did not, however, impact the plant growth or biomass. The increase in monolignol conjugates correlated with an improvement in the digestibility of maize stem rind tissue. CONCLUSIONS Together, increased monolignol ferulates and improved digestibility in ccr1 mutant plants suggests that they may be superior biofuel crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Smith
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Cynthia L. Cass
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790 USA
| | - Mona Mazaheri
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Rajandeep S. Sekhon
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, USA
| | - Marlies Heckwolf
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Heidi Kaeppler
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Natalia de Leon
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Shawn D. Mansfield
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Shawn M. Kaeppler
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - John C. Sedbrook
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790 USA
| | - Steven D. Karlen
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1552 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726-4084 USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Wan L, Li B, Lei Y, Yan L, Ren X, Chen Y, Dai X, Jiang H, Zhang J, Guo W, Chen A, Liao B. Mutant Transcriptome Sequencing Provides Insights into Pod Development in Peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1900. [PMID: 29170673 PMCID: PMC5684126 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Pod size is the major yield component and a key target trait that is selected for in peanut breeding. However, although numerous quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for peanut pod size have been described, the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of this characteristic remain elusive. A peanut mutant with a narrower pod was developed in this study using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis and designated as the "pod width" mutant line (pw). The fresh pod weight of pw was only about 40% of that seen in the wild-type (WT) Zhonghua16, while the hull and seed filling of the mutant both also developed at earlier stages. Pods from both pw and WT lines were sampled 20, 40, and 60 days after flowering (DAF) and used for RNA-Seq analysis; the results revealed highly differentially expressed lignin metabolic pathway genes at all three stages, but especially at DAF 20 and DAF 40. At the same time, expression of genes related to auxin signal transduction was found to be significantly repressed during the pw early pod developmental stage. A genome-wide comparative analysis of expression profiles revealed 260 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across all three stages, and two candidate genes, c26901_g1 (CAD) and c37339_g1 (ACS), responsible for pod width were identified by integrating expression patterns and function annotation of the common DEGs within the three stages. Taken together, the information provided in this study illuminates the processes underlying peanut pod development, and will facilitate further identification of causal genes and the development of improved peanut varieties with higher yields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liyun Wan
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Bei Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong Lei
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Liying Yan
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoping Ren
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuning Chen
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaofeng Dai
- Institute of Food Science and Technology of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huifang Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Juncheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Institute of Food Science and Technology of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ao Chen
- Zhanjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Boshou Liao
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Boshou Liao
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Lee S, Mo H, Kim JI, Chapple C. Genetic engineering of Arabidopsis to overproduce disinapoyl esters, potential lignin modification molecules. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2017; 10:40. [PMID: 28239412 PMCID: PMC5316160 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-017-0725-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monolignol-like molecules can be integrated into lignin along with conventional monolignol units, and it has been shown that the incorporation of non-canonical subunits can be used to generate hydrolysable lignin by introduction of ester linkages into the polymer and that this type of lignin is more easily removable. Disinapoyl esters (DSEs), which to some degree resemble the monolignol sinapyl alcohol, may be promising lignin modifying units for this purpose. As a first step toward determining whether this goal is achievable, we manipulated metabolic flux in Arabidopsis to increase the amounts of DSEs by overexpressing sinapoylglucose:sinapoylglucose sinapoyltransferase (SST) which produces two main DSEs, 1,2-disinapoylglucose, and another compound we identify in this report as 3,4-disinapoyl-fructopyranose. RESULTS We succeeded in overproducing DSEs by introducing an SST-overexpression construct into the sinapoylglucose accumulator1 (sng1-6) mutant (SST-OE sng1-6) which lacks several of the enzymes that would otherwise compete for the SST substrate, sinapoyglucose. Introduction of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase-c (cad-c) and cad-d mutations into the SST-OE sng1-6 line further increased DSEs. Surprisingly, a reduced epidermal fluorescence (ref) phenotype was observed when SST-OE sng1-6 plants were evaluated under UV light, which appears to have been induced by the sequestration of DSEs into subvacuolar compartments. Although we successfully upregulated the accumulation of the target DSEs, we did not find any evidence showing the integration of DSEs into the cell wall. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that although phenylpropanoid metabolic engineering is possible, a deeper understanding of sequestration and transport mechanisms will be necessary for successful lignin engineering through this route.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shinyoung Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
- Center for Plant Aging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daegu, 711-873 Republic of Korea
| | - Huaping Mo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Jeong Im Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| | - Clint Chapple
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Rinaldi R, Jastrzebski R, Clough MT, Ralph J, Kennema M, Bruijnincx PCA, Weckhuysen BM. Paving the Way for Lignin Valorisation: Recent Advances in Bioengineering, Biorefining and Catalysis. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:8164-215. [PMID: 27311348 PMCID: PMC6680216 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201510351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 776] [Impact Index Per Article: 97.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Lignin is an abundant biopolymer with a high carbon content and high aromaticity. Despite its potential as a raw material for the fuel and chemical industries, lignin remains the most poorly utilised of the lignocellulosic biopolymers. Effective valorisation of lignin requires careful fine-tuning of multiple "upstream" (i.e., lignin bioengineering, lignin isolation and "early-stage catalytic conversion of lignin") and "downstream" (i.e., lignin depolymerisation and upgrading) process stages, demanding input and understanding from a broad array of scientific disciplines. This review provides a "beginning-to-end" analysis of the recent advances reported in lignin valorisation. Particular emphasis is placed on the improved understanding of lignin's biosynthesis and structure, differences in structure and chemical bonding between native and technical lignins, emerging catalytic valorisation strategies, and the relationships between lignin structure and catalyst performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Rinaldi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Robin Jastrzebski
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew T Clough
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53726, USA.
| | - Marco Kennema
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Pieter C A Bruijnincx
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Bert M Weckhuysen
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584, CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Rinaldi R, Jastrzebski R, Clough MT, Ralph J, Kennema M, Bruijnincx PCA, Weckhuysen BM. Wege zur Verwertung von Lignin: Fortschritte in der Biotechnik, der Bioraffination und der Katalyse. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201510351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Rinaldi
- Department of Chemical Engineering Imperial College London South Kensington Campus London SW7 2AZ Großbritannien
| | - Robin Jastrzebski
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht Niederlande
| | - Matthew T. Clough
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Deutschland
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy's Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, and Department of Biochemistry University of Wisconsin Madison WI 53726 USA
| | - Marco Kennema
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Deutschland
| | - Pieter C. A. Bruijnincx
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht Niederlande
| | - Bert M. Weckhuysen
- Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science Utrecht University Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG Utrecht Niederlande
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Plasencia A, Soler M, Dupas A, Ladouce N, Silva-Martins G, Martinez Y, Lapierre C, Franche C, Truchet I, Grima-Pettenati J. Eucalyptus hairy roots, a fast, efficient and versatile tool to explore function and expression of genes involved in wood formation. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2016; 14:1381-93. [PMID: 26579999 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Eucalyptus are of tremendous economic importance being the most planted hardwoods worldwide for pulp and paper, timber and bioenergy. The recent release of the Eucalyptus grandis genome sequence pointed out many new candidate genes potentially involved in secondary growth, wood formation or lineage-specific biosynthetic pathways. Their functional characterization is, however, hindered by the tedious, time-consuming and inefficient transformation systems available hitherto for eucalypts. To overcome this limitation, we developed a fast, reliable and efficient protocol to obtain and easily detect co-transformed E. grandis hairy roots using fluorescent markers, with an average efficiency of 62%. We set up conditions both to cultivate excised roots in vitro and to harden composite plants and verified that hairy root morphology and vascular system anatomy were similar to wild-type ones. We further demonstrated that co-transformed hairy roots are suitable for medium-throughput functional studies enabling, for instance, protein subcellular localization, gene expression patterns through RT-qPCR and promoter expression, as well as the modulation of endogenous gene expression. Down-regulation of the Eucalyptus cinnamoyl-CoA reductase1 (EgCCR1) gene, encoding a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis, led to transgenic roots with reduced lignin levels and thinner cell walls. This gene was used as a proof of concept to demonstrate that the function of genes involved in secondary cell wall biosynthesis and wood formation can be elucidated in transgenic hairy roots using histochemical, transcriptomic and biochemical approaches. The method described here is timely because it will accelerate gene mining of the genome for both basic research and industry purposes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Plasencia
- UMR5546, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University-CNRS, Plant Research Laboratory (LRSV), Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Marçal Soler
- UMR5546, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University-CNRS, Plant Research Laboratory (LRSV), Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Annabelle Dupas
- UMR5546, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University-CNRS, Plant Research Laboratory (LRSV), Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Nathalie Ladouce
- UMR5546, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University-CNRS, Plant Research Laboratory (LRSV), Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Guilherme Silva-Martins
- UMR5546, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University-CNRS, Plant Research Laboratory (LRSV), Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Yves Martinez
- FRAIB, CNRS, Cell Imaging Plateform, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Catherine Lapierre
- INRA/AgroParisTech, UMR1318, Saclay Plant Science, Jean-Pierre Bourgin Institute (IJPB), Versailles, France
| | | | - Isabelle Truchet
- UMR5546, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University-CNRS, Plant Research Laboratory (LRSV), Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Jacqueline Grima-Pettenati
- UMR5546, Toulouse III Paul Sabatier University-CNRS, Plant Research Laboratory (LRSV), Castanet Tolosan, France
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Prats Mateu B, Hauser MT, Heredia A, Gierlinger N. Waterproofing in Arabidopsis: Following Phenolics and Lipids In situ by Confocal Raman Microscopy. Front Chem 2016; 4:10. [PMID: 26973831 PMCID: PMC4770935 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2016.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Waterproofing of the aerial organs of plants imposed a big evolutionary step during the colonization of the terrestrial environment. The main plant polymers responsible of water repelling are lipids and lignin, which play also important roles in the protection against biotic/abiotic stresses, regulation of flux of gases and solutes, and mechanical stability against negative pressure, among others. While the lipids, non-polymerized cuticular waxes together with the polymerized cutin, protect the outer surface, lignin is confined to the secondary cell wall within mechanical important tissues. In the present work a micro cross-section of the stem of Arabidopsis thaliana was used to track in situ the distribution of these non-carbohydrate polymers by Confocal Raman Microscopy. Raman hyperspectral imaging gives a molecular fingerprint of the native waterproofing tissues and cells with diffraction limited spatial resolution (~300 nm) at relatively high speed and without any tedious sample preparation. Lipids and lignified tissues as well as their effect on water content was directly visualized by integrating the 1299, 1600, and 3400 cm(-1) band, respectively. For detailed insights into compositional changes of these polymers vertex component analysis was performed on selected sample positions. Changes have been elucidated in the composition of lignin within the lignified tissues and between interfascicular fibers and xylem vessels. Hydrophobizing changes were revealed from the epidermal layer to the cuticle as well as a change in the aromatic composition within the cuticle of trichomes. To verify Raman signatures of different waterproofing polymers additionally Raman spectra of the cuticle and cutin monomer from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) as well as aromatic model polymers (milled wood lignin and dehydrogenation polymer of coniferyl alcohol) and phenolic acids were acquired.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Batirtze Prats Mateu
- Department of Material Sciences and Process Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
| | - Marie Theres Hauser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
| | - Antonio Heredia
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of MalagaMalaga, Spain
| | - Notburga Gierlinger
- Department of Material Sciences and Process Engineering, University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria
- Institute for Building Materials, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule ZürichZürich, Switzerland
- Applied Wood Research Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and ResearchDübendorf, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Tomková-Drábková L, Psota V, Sachambula L, Leišová-Svobodová L, Mikyška A, Kučera L. Changes in polyphenol compounds and barley laccase expression during the malting process. JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2016; 96:497-504. [PMID: 25639800 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.7116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polyphenols and phenolic acid are able to slow down or prevent oxidation processes and are therefore thought to have important effects in malting and brewing. Laccase catalyses the oxidation of a wide variety of substrates, including polyphenols. The aim of this paper was to determine the changes in polyphenol compounds and the relative expression of the HvLac1 gene during malting. RESULTS The dominant phenolic acid was ferulic acid. The amount of ferulic acid increased, whereas the amount of vanillic acid decreased during malting. The highest levels of expression of the HvLac1 gene were observed during the third air rest period in varieties with the 'Haruna Nijo' (HN) allele, as recommended for the production of beer with the protected geographical indication (PGI) 'Česke pivo' (Czech beer), whereas the highest expression was observed in the first day of germination in varieties with the 'Morex' (M) allele. However, the profiles of HvLac1 gene expression in varieties with alternative alleles during malting were similar, and the level of polyphenol compounds throughout malting was different. CONCLUSION The polyphenol contents in barley increased several-fold during malting, and the degree of increase differed with variety. The expression of HvLac1 transcript was similar in every barley variety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vratislav Psota
- Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, PLC (RIBM), 12044 Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Sachambula
- Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, PLC (RIBM), 12044 Praha, Czech Republic
| | | | - Alexandr Mikyška
- Research Institute of Brewing and Malting, PLC (RIBM), 12044 Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Ladislav Kučera
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 161 06 Praha 6, Ruzyně, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Lignin engineering in field-grown poplar trees affects the endosphere bacterial microbiome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:2312-7. [PMID: 26755604 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1523264113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR), an enzyme central to the lignin biosynthetic pathway, represents a promising biotechnological target to reduce lignin levels and to improve the commercial viability of lignocellulosic biomass. However, silencing of the CCR gene results in considerable flux changes of the general and monolignol-specific lignin pathways, ultimately leading to the accumulation of various extractable phenolic compounds in the xylem. Here, we evaluated host genotype-dependent effects of field-grown, CCR-down-regulated poplar trees (Populus tremula × Populus alba) on the bacterial rhizosphere microbiome and the endosphere microbiome, namely the microbiota present in roots, stems, and leaves. Plant-associated bacteria were isolated from all plant compartments by selective isolation and enrichment techniques with specific phenolic carbon sources (such as ferulic acid) that are up-regulated in CCR-deficient poplar trees. The bacterial microbiomes present in the endosphere were highly responsive to the CCR-deficient poplar genotype with remarkably different metabolic capacities and associated community structures compared with the WT trees. In contrast, the rhizosphere microbiome of CCR-deficient and WT poplar trees featured highly overlapping bacterial community structures and metabolic capacities. We demonstrate the host genotype modulation of the plant microbiome by minute genetic variations in the plant genome. Hence, these interactions need to be taken into consideration to understand the full consequences of plant metabolic pathway engineering and its relation with the environment and the intended genetic improvement.
Collapse
|
36
|
Cabezas JA, González-Martínez SC, Collada C, Guevara MA, Boury C, de María N, Eveno E, Aranda I, Garnier-Géré PH, Brach J, Alía R, Plomion C, Cervera MT. Nucleotide polymorphisms in a pine ortholog of the Arabidopsis degrading enzyme cellulase KORRIGAN are associated with early growth performance in Pinus pinaster. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 35:1000-1006. [PMID: 26093373 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpv050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We have carried out a candidate-gene-based association genetic study in Pinus pinaster Aiton and evaluated the predictive performance for genetic merit gain of the most significantly associated genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We used a second generation 384-SNP array enriched with candidate genes for growth and wood properties to genotype mother trees collected in 20 natural populations covering most of the European distribution of the species. Phenotypic data for total height, polycyclism, root-collar diameter and biomass were obtained from a replicated provenance-progeny trial located in two sites with contrasting environments (Atlantic vs Mediterranean climate). General linear models identified strong associations between growth traits (total height and polycyclism) and four SNPs from the korrigan candidate gene, after multiple testing corrections using false discovery rate. The combined genomic breeding value predictions assessed for the four associated korrigan SNPs by ridge regression-best linear unbiased prediction (RR-BLUP) and cross-validation accounted for up to 8 and 15% of the phenotypic variance for height and polycyclic growth, respectively, and did not improve adding SNPs from other growth-related candidate genes. For root-collar diameter and total biomass, they accounted for 1.6 and 1.1% of the phenotypic variance, respectively, but increased to 15 and 4.1% when other SNPs from lp3.1, lp3.3 and cad were included in RR-BLUP models. These results point towards a desirable integration of candidate-gene studies as a means to pre-select relevant markers, and aid genomic selection in maritime pine breeding programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Antonio Cabezas
- Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, INIA-CIFOR, 28040 Madrid, Spain Unidad Mixta de Genómica y Ecofisiología Forestal, INIA/UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago C González-Martínez
- Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, INIA-CIFOR, 28040 Madrid, Spain INRA, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33610 Cestas, France University of Bordeaux, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33170 Talence, France
| | - Carmen Collada
- Unidad Mixta de Genómica y Ecofisiología Forestal, INIA/UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain Departamento de Biotecnología, ETSIM, Ciudad Universitaria s/n 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Angeles Guevara
- Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, INIA-CIFOR, 28040 Madrid, Spain Unidad Mixta de Genómica y Ecofisiología Forestal, INIA/UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Christophe Boury
- INRA, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33610 Cestas, France University of Bordeaux, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33170 Talence, France
| | - Nuria de María
- Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, INIA-CIFOR, 28040 Madrid, Spain Unidad Mixta de Genómica y Ecofisiología Forestal, INIA/UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Emmanuelle Eveno
- INRA, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33610 Cestas, France University of Bordeaux, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33170 Talence, France
| | - Ismael Aranda
- Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, INIA-CIFOR, 28040 Madrid, Spain Unidad Mixta de Genómica y Ecofisiología Forestal, INIA/UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pauline H Garnier-Géré
- INRA, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33610 Cestas, France University of Bordeaux, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33170 Talence, France
| | - Jean Brach
- INRA, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33610 Cestas, France University of Bordeaux, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33170 Talence, France
| | - Ricardo Alía
- Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, INIA-CIFOR, 28040 Madrid, Spain Unidad Mixta de Genómica y Ecofisiología Forestal, INIA/UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Christophe Plomion
- INRA, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33610 Cestas, France University of Bordeaux, UMR1202 BIOGECO, F-33170 Talence, France
| | - María Teresa Cervera
- Department of Forest Ecology and Genetics, INIA-CIFOR, 28040 Madrid, Spain Unidad Mixta de Genómica y Ecofisiología Forestal, INIA/UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Cass CL, Peraldi A, Dowd PF, Mottiar Y, Santoro N, Karlen SD, Bukhman YV, Foster CE, Thrower N, Bruno LC, Moskvin OV, Johnson ET, Willhoit ME, Phutane M, Ralph J, Mansfield SD, Nicholson P, Sedbrook JC. Effects of PHENYLALANINE AMMONIA LYASE (PAL) knockdown on cell wall composition, biomass digestibility, and biotic and abiotic stress responses in Brachypodium. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2015; 66:4317-35. [PMID: 26093023 PMCID: PMC4493789 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The phenylpropanoid pathway in plants synthesizes a variety of structural and defence compounds, and is an important target in efforts to reduce cell wall lignin for improved biomass conversion to biofuels. Little is known concerning the trade-offs in grasses when perturbing the function of the first gene family in the pathway, PHENYLALANINE AMMONIA LYASE (PAL). Therefore, PAL isoforms in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon were targeted, by RNA interference (RNAi), and large reductions (up to 85%) in stem tissue transcript abundance for two of the eight putative BdPAL genes were identified. The cell walls of stems of BdPAL-knockdown plants had reductions of 43% in lignin and 57% in cell wall-bound ferulate, and a nearly 2-fold increase in the amounts of polysaccharide-derived carbohydrates released by thermochemical and hydrolytic enzymic partial digestion. PAL-knockdown plants exhibited delayed development and reduced root growth, along with increased susceptibilities to the fungal pathogens Fusarium culmorum and Magnaporthe oryzae. Surprisingly, these plants generally had wild-type (WT) resistances to caterpillar herbivory, drought, and ultraviolet light. RNA sequencing analyses revealed that the expression of genes associated with stress responses including ethylene biosynthesis and signalling were significantly altered in PAL knocked-down plants under non-challenging conditions. These data reveal that, although an attenuation of the phenylpropanoid pathway increases carbohydrate availability for biofuel, it can adversely affect plant growth and disease resistance to fungal pathogens. The data identify notable differences between the stress responses of these monocot pal mutants versus Arabidopsis (a dicot) pal mutants and provide insights into the challenges that may arise when deploying phenylpropanoid pathway-altered bioenergy crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia L Cass
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790 USA US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Antoine Peraldi
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Patrick F Dowd
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, Peoria, IL 61604, USA
| | - Yaseen Mottiar
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Nicholas Santoro
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Steven D Karlen
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yury V Bukhman
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Cliff E Foster
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nick Thrower
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Laura C Bruno
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Oleg V Moskvin
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Eric T Johnson
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, Peoria, IL 61604, USA
| | - Megan E Willhoit
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790 USA US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Megha Phutane
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790 USA US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - John Ralph
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA Department of Biochemistry, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Shawn D Mansfield
- US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Paul Nicholson
- Department of Crop Genetics, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - John C Sedbrook
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790 USA US Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Méchin V, Laluc A, Legée F, Cézard L, Denoue D, Barrière Y, Lapierre C. Impact of the brown-midrib bm5 mutation on maize lignins. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2014; 62:5102-7. [PMID: 24823698 DOI: 10.1021/jf5019998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
We have investigated the impact of the brown-midrib bm5 mutation on lignins and on p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid ester-linked to maize (Zea mays L.) cell walls. Lignified stalks or plant aerial parts (without ears) collected at grain maturity were studied in three genetic backgrounds. Relative to the control, bm5 mutants displayed lower levels of lignins and of p-coumarate esters but increased levels of ferulate esters. Thioacidolysis revealed that bm5 lignins display an increased frequency of free-phenolic guaiacyl units. More importantly, thioacidolysis provided unusual amounts of 1,2,2-trithioethyl ethylguaiacol, a marker compound diagnostic for the incorporation of free ferulic acid into lignins by bis 8-O-4 cross-coupling. As the resulting acetal bonding pattern is a chemically labile branch point introduced in maize lignins by the bm5 mutation, this alteration is prone to facilitate the delignification pretreatments used in the cellulose-to-ethanol process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Méchin
- INRA, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), UMR1318, Saclay Plant Sciences, Route de St-Cyr, 78000 Versailles, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Yeh SY, Huang FC, Hoffmann T, Mayershofer M, Schwab W. FaPOD27 functions in the metabolism of polyphenols in strawberry fruit (Fragaria sp.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:518. [PMID: 25346738 PMCID: PMC4191155 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is one of the most preferred fresh fruit worldwide, accumulates numerous flavonoids but has limited shelf life due to excessive tissue softening caused by cell wall degradation. Since lignin is one of the polymers that strengthen plant cell walls and might contribute to some extent to fruit firmness monolignol biosynthesis was studied in strawberry fruit. Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), and a peroxidase (POD27) gene were strongly expressed in red, ripe fruit whereas a second POD gene was primarily expressed in green, immature fruit. Moreover, FaPOD27 transcripts were strongly and constitutively induced in fruits exposed to Agrobacterium infection. Gene expression levels and enzymatic activities of FaCCR and FaCAD were efficiently suppressed through RNAi in FaCCR- and FaCAD-silenced strawberries. Besides, significantly elevated FaPOD transcript levels were detected after agroinfiltration of pBI-FaPOD constructs in fruits. At the same time, levels of G-monomers were considerably reduced in FaCCR-silenced fruits whereas the proportion of both G- and S-monomers decisively decreased in FaCAD-silenced and pBI-FaPOD fruits. Development, firmness, and lignin level of the treated fruits were similar to pBI-intron control fruits, presumably attributed to increased expression levels of FaPOD27 upon agroinfiltration. Additionally, enhanced firmness, accompanied with elevated lignin levels, was revealed in chalcone synthase-deficient fruits (CHS(-)), independent of down- or up-regulation of individual and combined FaCCR. FaCAD, and FaPOD genes by agroinfiltration, when compared to CHS(-)/pBI-intron control fruits. These approaches provide further insight into the genetic control of flavonoid and lignin synthesis in strawberries. The results suggest that FaPOD27 is a key gene for lignin biosynthesis in strawberry fruit and thus to improving the firmness of strawberries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Wilfried Schwab
- *Correspondence: Wilfried Schwab, Biotechnology of Natural Products, Technische Universität München, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 1, 85354 Freising, Germany e-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Improved saccharification and ethanol yield from field-grown transgenic poplar deficient in cinnamoyl-CoA reductase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 111:845-50. [PMID: 24379366 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1321673111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lignin is one of the main factors determining recalcitrance to enzymatic processing of lignocellulosic biomass. Poplars (Populus tremula x Populus alba) down-regulated for cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR), the enzyme catalyzing the first step in the monolignol-specific branch of the lignin biosynthetic pathway, were grown in field trials in Belgium and France under short-rotation coppice culture. Wood samples were classified according to the intensity of the red xylem coloration typically associated with CCR down-regulation. Saccharification assays under different pretreatment conditions (none, two alkaline, and one acid pretreatment) and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation assays showed that wood from the most affected transgenic trees had up to 161% increased ethanol yield. Fermentations of combined material from the complete set of 20-mo-old CCR-down-regulated trees, including bark and less efficiently down-regulated trees, still yielded ∼ 20% more ethanol on a weight basis. However, strong down-regulation of CCR also affected biomass yield. We conclude that CCR down-regulation may become a successful strategy to improve biomass processing if the variability in down-regulation and the yield penalty can be overcome.
Collapse
|
41
|
Loss of function of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase 1 leads to unconventional lignin and a temperature-sensitive growth defect in Medicago truncatula. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:13660-5. [PMID: 23901113 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1312234110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
There is considerable debate over the capacity of the cell wall polymer lignin to incorporate unnatural monomer units. We have identified Tnt1 retrotransposon insertion mutants of barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) that show reduced lignin autofluorescence under UV microscopy and red coloration in interfascicular fibers. The phenotype is caused by insertion of retrotransposons into a gene annotated as encoding cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, here designated M. truncatula CAD1. NMR analysis indicated that the lignin is derived almost exclusively from coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde and is therefore strikingly different from classical lignins, which are derived mainly from coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols. Despite such a major alteration in lignin structure, the plants appear normal under standard conditions in the greenhouse or growth chamber. However, the plants are dwarfed when grown at 30 °C. Glycome profiling revealed an increased extractability of some xylan and pectin epitopes from the cell walls of the cad1-1 mutant but decreased extractability of others, suggesting that aldehyde-dominant lignin significantly alters cell wall structure.
Collapse
|
42
|
Vanholme B, Desmet T, Ronsse F, Rabaey K, Breusegem FV, Mey MD, Soetaert W, Boerjan W. Towards a carbon-negative sustainable bio-based economy. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2013; 4:174. [PMID: 23761802 PMCID: PMC3669761 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2013.00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The bio-based economy relies on sustainable, plant-derived resources for fuels, chemicals, materials, food and feed rather than on the evanescent usage of fossil resources. The cornerstone of this economy is the biorefinery, in which renewable resources are intelligently converted to a plethora of products, maximizing the valorization of the feedstocks. Innovation is a prerequisite to move a fossil-based economy toward sustainable alternatives, and the viability of the bio-based economy depends on the integration between plant (green) and industrial (white) biotechnology. Green biotechnology deals with primary production through the improvement of biomass crops, while white biotechnology deals with the conversion of biomass into products and energy. Waste streams are minimized during these processes or partly converted to biogas, which can be used to power the processing pipeline. The sustainability of this economy is guaranteed by a third technology pillar that uses thermochemical conversion to valorize waste streams and fix residual carbon as biochar in the soil, hence creating a carbon-negative cycle. These three different multidisciplinary pillars interact through the value chain of the bio-based economy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bartel Vanholme
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for BiotechnologyGent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
| | - Tom Desmet
- Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Centre of Expertise – Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
| | - Frederik Ronsse
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
| | - Korneel Rabaey
- Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
- Centre for Microbial Electrosynthesis, The University of QueenslandBrisbane, Australia
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of QueenslandBrisbane, Australia
| | - Frank Van Breusegem
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for BiotechnologyGent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
| | - Marjan De Mey
- Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Centre of Expertise – Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
| | - Wim Soetaert
- Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Centre of Expertise – Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Institute for BiotechnologyGent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent UniversityGent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Van Acker R, Vanholme R, Storme V, Mortimer JC, Dupree P, Boerjan W. Lignin biosynthesis perturbations affect secondary cell wall composition and saccharification yield in Arabidopsis thaliana. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2013; 6:46. [PMID: 23622268 PMCID: PMC3661393 DOI: 10.1186/1754-6834-6-46] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Van Acker
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, Gent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, Gent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Véronique Storme
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, Gent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Jennifer C Mortimer
- Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Dupree
- Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, United Kingdom
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, Gent, 9052, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Gent, 9052, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Pu Y, Hu F, Huang F, Davison BH, Ragauskas AJ. Assessing the molecular structure basis for biomass recalcitrance during dilute acid and hydrothermal pretreatments. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2013; 6:15. [PMID: 23356640 PMCID: PMC3575271 DOI: 10.1186/1754-6834-6-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The production of cellulosic ethanol from biomass is considered a promising alternative to reliance on diminishing supplies of fossil fuels, providing a sustainable option for fuels production in an environmentally compatible manner. The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels through a biological route usually suffers from the intrinsic recalcitrance of biomass owing to the complicated structure of plant cell walls. Currently, a pretreatment step that can effectively reduce biomass recalcitrance is generally required to make the polysaccharide fractions locked in the intricacy of plant cell walls to become more accessible and amenable to enzymatic hydrolysis. Dilute acid and hydrothermal pretreatments are attractive and among the most promising pretreatment technologies that enhance sugar release performance. This review highlights our recent understanding on molecular structure basis for recalcitrance, with emphasis on structural transformation of major biomass biopolymers (i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) related to the reduction of recalcitrance during dilute acid and hydrothermal pretreatments. The effects of these two pretreatments on biomass porosity as well as its contribution on reduced recalcitrance are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunqiao Pu
- Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Fan Hu
- BioEnergy Science Center, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Fang Huang
- BioEnergy Science Center, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Brian H Davison
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- BioEnergy Science Center, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Wagner A, Tobimatsu Y, Goeminne G, Phillips L, Flint H, Steward D, Torr K, Donaldson L, Boerjan W, Ralph J. Suppression of CCR impacts metabolite profile and cell wall composition in Pinus radiata tracheary elements. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2013; 81:105-117. [PMID: 23131896 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-012-9985-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/30/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Suppression of the lignin-related gene cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) in the Pinus radiata tracheary element (TE) system impacted both the metabolite profile and the cell wall matrix in CCR-RNAi lines. UPLC-MS/MS-based metabolite profiling identified elevated levels of p-coumaroyl hexose, caffeic acid hexoside and ferulic acid hexoside in CCR-RNAi lines, indicating a redirection of metabolite flow within phenylpropanoid metabolism. Dilignols derived from coniferyl alcohol such as G(8-5)G, G(8-O-4)G and isodihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (IDDDC) were substantially depleted, providing evidence for CCR's involvement in coniferyl alcohol biosynthesis. Severe CCR suppression almost halved lignin content in TEs based on a depletion of both H-type and G-type lignin, providing evidence for CCR's involvement in the biosynthesis of both lignin types. 2D-NMR studies revealed minor changes in the H:G-ratio and consequently a largely unchanged interunit linkage distribution in the lignin polymer. However, unusual cell wall components including ferulate and unsaturated fatty acids were identified in TEs by thioacidolysis, pyrolysis-GC/MS and/or 2D-NMR in CCR-RNAi lines, providing new insights into the consequences of CCR suppression in pine. Interestingly, CCR suppression substantially promoted pyrolytic breakdown of cell wall polysaccharides, a phenotype most likely caused by the incorporation of acidic compounds into the cell wall matrix in CCR-RNAi lines.
Collapse
|
46
|
Vanholme R, Morreel K, Darrah C, Oyarce P, Grabber JH, Ralph J, Boerjan W. Metabolic engineering of novel lignin in biomass crops. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2012; 196:978-1000. [PMID: 23035778 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04337.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2012] [Accepted: 08/08/2012] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Kris Morreel
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Chiarina Darrah
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - Paula Oyarce
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| | - John H Grabber
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, US Dairy Forage Research Center, 1925 Linden Drive West, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - John Ralph
- Departments of Biochemistry and Biological Systems Engineering, the Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative, and the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Gent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Elumalai S, Tobimatsu Y, Grabber JH, Pan X, Ralph J. Epigallocatechin gallate incorporation into lignin enhances the alkaline delignification and enzymatic saccharification of cell walls. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2012; 5:59. [PMID: 22889353 PMCID: PMC3477100 DOI: 10.1186/1754-6834-5-59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 08/06/2012] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lignin is an integral component of the plant cell wall matrix but impedes the conversion of biomass into biofuels. The plasticity of lignin biosynthesis should permit the inclusion of new compatible phenolic monomers such as flavonoids into cell wall lignins that are consequently less recalcitrant to biomass processing. In the present study, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was evaluated as a potential lignin bioengineering target for rendering biomass more amenable to processing for biofuel production. RESULTS In vitro peroxidase-catalyzed polymerization experiments revealed that both gallate and pyrogallyl (B-ring) moieties in EGCG underwent radical cross-coupling with monolignols mainly by β-O-4-type cross-coupling, producing benzodioxane units following rearomatization reactions. Biomimetic lignification of maize cell walls with a 3:1 molar ratio of monolignols and EGCG permitted extensive alkaline delignification of cell walls (72 to 92%) that far exceeded that for lignified controls (44 to 62%). Alkali-insoluble residues from EGCG-lignified walls yielded up to 34% more glucose and total sugars following enzymatic saccharification than lignified controls. CONCLUSIONS It was found that EGCG readily copolymerized with monolignols to become integrally cross-coupled into cell wall lignins, where it greatly enhanced alkaline delignification and subsequent enzymatic saccharification. Improved delignification may be attributed to internal trapping of quinone-methide intermediates to prevent benzyl ether cross-linking of lignin to structural polysaccharides during lignification, and to the cleavage of ester intra-unit linkages within EGCG during pretreatment. Overall, our results suggest that apoplastic deposition of EGCG for incorporation into lignin would be a promising plant genetic engineering target for improving the delignification and saccharification of biomass crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sasikumar Elumalai
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - John H Grabber
- U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 1925 Linden Drive West, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Xuejun Pan
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 460 Henry Mall, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, and Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Mansfield SD, Kim H, Lu F, Ralph J. Whole plant cell wall characterization using solution-state 2D NMR. Nat Protoc 2012; 7:1579-89. [PMID: 22864199 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2012.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 309] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology have made it possible to rapidly screen plant material and discern whole cell wall information without the need to deconstruct and fractionate the plant cell wall. This approach can be used to improve our understanding of the biology of cell wall structure and biosynthesis, and as a tool to select plant material for the most appropriate industrial applications. This is particularly true in an era when renewable materials are vital to the emerging bio-based economies. This protocol describes procedures for (i) the preparation and extraction of a biological plant tissue, (ii) solubilization strategies for plant material of varying composition and (iii) 2D NMR acquisition (for typically 15 min-5 h) and integration methods used to elucidate lignin subunit composition and lignin interunit linkage distribution, as well as cell wall polysaccharide profiling. Furthermore, we present data that demonstrate the utility of this new NMR whole cell wall characterization procedure with a variety of degradative methods traditionally used for cell wall compositional analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shawn D Mansfield
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Kaur H, Shaker K, Heinzel N, Ralph J, Gális I, Baldwin IT. Environmental stresses of field growth allow cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase-deficient Nicotiana attenuata plants to compensate for their structural deficiencies. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2012; 159:1545-70. [PMID: 22645069 PMCID: PMC3425196 DOI: 10.1104/pp.112.196717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2012] [Accepted: 05/03/2012] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The organized lignocellulosic assemblies of cell walls provide the structural integrity required for the large statures of terrestrial plants. Silencing two CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE (CAD) genes in Nicotiana attenuata produced plants (ir-CAD) with thin, red-pigmented stems, low CAD and sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity, low lignin contents, and rubbery, structurally unstable stems when grown in the glasshouse (GH). However, when planted into their native desert habitat, ir-CAD plants produced robust stems that survived wind storms as well as the wild-type plants. Despite efficient silencing of NaCAD transcripts and enzymatic activity, field-grown ir-CAD plants had delayed and restricted spread of red stem pigmentation, a color change reflecting blocked lignification by CAD silencing, and attained wild-type-comparable total lignin contents. The rubbery GH phenotype was largely restored when field-grown ir-CAD plants were protected from wind, herbivore attack, and ultraviolet B exposure and grown in restricted rooting volumes; conversely, it was lost when ir-CAD plants were experimentally exposed to wind, ultraviolet B, and grown in large pots in growth chambers. Transcript and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-time-of-flight analysis revealed that these environmental stresses enhanced the accumulation of various phenylpropanoids in stems of field-grown plants; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that the lignin of field-grown ir-CAD plants had GH-grown comparable levels of sinapaldehyde and syringaldehyde cross-linked into their lignins. Additionally, field-grown ir-CAD plants had short, thick stems with normal xylem element traits, which collectively enabled field-grown ir-CAD plants to compensate for the structural deficiencies associated with CAD silencing. Environmental stresses play an essential role in regulating lignin biosynthesis in lignin-deficient plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - John Ralph
- Department of Molecular Ecology (H.K., N.H., I.G., I.T.B.) and Department of Biosynthesis/Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (K.S.), Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena 07745, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (J.R.); and Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Okayama 710–0046, Japan (I.G.)
| | - Ivan Gális
- Department of Molecular Ecology (H.K., N.H., I.G., I.T.B.) and Department of Biosynthesis/Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (K.S.), Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena 07745, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (J.R.); and Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Okayama 710–0046, Japan (I.G.)
| | - Ian T. Baldwin
- Department of Molecular Ecology (H.K., N.H., I.G., I.T.B.) and Department of Biosynthesis/Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (K.S.), Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena 07745, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (J.R.); and Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Okayama 710–0046, Japan (I.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Eudes A, George A, Mukerjee P, Kim JS, Pollet B, Benke PI, Yang F, Mitra P, Sun L, Cetinkol OP, Chabout S, Mouille G, Soubigou-Taconnat L, Balzergue S, Singh S, Holmes BM, Mukhopadhyay A, Keasling JD, Simmons BA, Lapierre C, Ralph J, Loqué D. Biosynthesis and incorporation of side-chain-truncated lignin monomers to reduce lignin polymerization and enhance saccharification. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2012; 10:609-20. [PMID: 22458713 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2012.00692.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass is utilized as a renewable feedstock in various agro-industrial activities. Lignin is an aromatic, hydrophobic and mildly branched polymer integrally associated with polysaccharides within the biomass, which negatively affects their extraction and hydrolysis during industrial processing. Engineering the monomer composition of lignins offers an attractive option towards new lignins with reduced recalcitrance. The presented work describes a new strategy developed in Arabidopsis for the overproduction of rare lignin monomers to reduce lignin polymerization degree (DP). Biosynthesis of these 'DP reducers' is achieved by expressing a bacterial hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA hydratase-lyase (HCHL) in lignifying tissues of Arabidopsis inflorescence stems. HCHL cleaves the propanoid side-chain of hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA lignin precursors to produce the corresponding hydroxybenzaldehydes so that plant stems expressing HCHL accumulate in their cell wall higher amounts of hydroxybenzaldehyde and hydroxybenzoate derivatives. Engineered plants with intermediate HCHL activity levels show no reduction in total lignin, sugar content or biomass yield compared with wild-type plants. However, cell wall characterization of extract-free stems by thioacidolysis and by 2D-NMR revealed an increased amount of unusual C₆C₁ lignin monomers most likely linked with lignin as end-groups. Moreover the analysis of lignin isolated from these plants using size-exclusion chromatography revealed a reduced molecular weight. Furthermore, these engineered lines show saccharification improvement of pretreated stem cell walls. Therefore, we conclude that enhancing the biosynthesis and incorporation of C₆C₁ monomers ('DP reducers') into lignin polymers represents a promising strategy to reduce lignin DP and to decrease cell wall recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aymerick Eudes
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, EmeryStation East, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|