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Peracchi LM, Panahabadi R, Barros-Rios J, Bartley LE, Sanguinet KA. Grass lignin: biosynthesis, biological roles, and industrial applications. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1343097. [PMID: 38463570 PMCID: PMC10921064 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1343097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Lignin is a phenolic heteropolymer found in most terrestrial plants that contributes an essential role in plant growth, abiotic stress tolerance, and biotic stress resistance. Recent research in grass lignin biosynthesis has found differences compared to dicots such as Arabidopsis thaliana. For example, the prolific incorporation of hydroxycinnamic acids into grass secondary cell walls improve the structural integrity of vascular and structural elements via covalent crosslinking. Conversely, fundamental monolignol chemistry conserves the mechanisms of monolignol translocation and polymerization across the plant phylum. Emerging evidence suggests grass lignin compositions contribute to abiotic stress tolerance, and periods of biotic stress often alter cereal lignin compositions to hinder pathogenesis. This same recalcitrance also inhibits industrial valorization of plant biomass, making lignin alterations and reductions a prolific field of research. This review presents an update of grass lignin biosynthesis, translocation, and polymerization, highlights how lignified grass cell walls contribute to plant development and stress responses, and briefly addresses genetic engineering strategies that may benefit industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi M. Peracchi
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Rahele Panahabadi
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Jaime Barros-Rios
- Division of Plant Sciences and Interdisciplinary Plant Group, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Laura E. Bartley
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Karen A. Sanguinet
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
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2
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Dwivedi N, Yamamoto S, Zhao Y, Hou G, Bowling F, Tobimatsu Y, Liu C. Simultaneous suppression of lignin, tricin and wall-bound phenolic biosynthesis via the expression of monolignol 4-O-methyltransferases in rice. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:330-346. [PMID: 37795899 PMCID: PMC10826995 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Grass lignocelluloses feature complex compositions and structures. In addition to the presence of conventional lignin units from monolignols, acylated monolignols and flavonoid tricin also incorporate into lignin polymer; moreover, hydroxycinnamates, particularly ferulate, cross-link arabinoxylan chains with each other and/or with lignin polymers. These structural complexities make grass lignocellulosics difficult to optimize for effective agro-industrial applications. In the present study, we assess the applications of two engineered monolignol 4-O-methyltransferases (MOMTs) in modifying rice lignocellulosic properties. Two MOMTs confer regiospecific para-methylation of monolignols but with different catalytic preferences. The expression of MOMTs in rice resulted in differential but drastic suppression of lignin deposition, showing more than 50% decrease in guaiacyl lignin and up to an 90% reduction in syringyl lignin in transgenic lines. Moreover, the levels of arabinoxylan-bound ferulate were reduced by up to 50%, and the levels of tricin in lignin fraction were also substantially reduced. Concomitantly, up to 11 μmol/g of the methanol-extractable 4-O-methylated ferulic acid and 5-7 μmol/g 4-O-methylated sinapic acid were accumulated in MOMT transgenic lines. Both MOMTs in vitro displayed discernible substrate promiscuity towards a range of phenolics in addition to the dominant substrate monolignols, which partially explains their broad effects on grass phenolic biosynthesis. The cell wall structural and compositional changes resulted in up to 30% increase in saccharification yield of the de-starched rice straw biomass after diluted acid-pretreatment. These results demonstrate an effective strategy to tailor complex grass cell walls to generate improved cellulosic feedstocks for the fermentable sugar-based production of biofuel and bio-chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Dwivedi
- Biology DepartmentBrookhaven Nation LaboratoryUptonNew YorkUSA
- Feedstocks DivisionJoint BioEnergy InstituteEmeryvilleCAUSA
| | - Senri Yamamoto
- Research Institute for Sustainable HumanosphereKyoto UniversityGokasho, UjiKyotoJapan
| | - Yunjun Zhao
- Biology DepartmentBrookhaven Nation LaboratoryUptonNew YorkUSA
| | - Guichuan Hou
- Dewel Microscopy FacilityAppalachian State UniversityBooneNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Forrest Bowling
- Biology DepartmentBrookhaven Nation LaboratoryUptonNew YorkUSA
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Research Institute for Sustainable HumanosphereKyoto UniversityGokasho, UjiKyotoJapan
| | - Chang‐Jun Liu
- Biology DepartmentBrookhaven Nation LaboratoryUptonNew YorkUSA
- Feedstocks DivisionJoint BioEnergy InstituteEmeryvilleCAUSA
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3
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Lam LPY, Tobimatsu Y, Suzuki S, Tanaka T, Yamamoto S, Takeda-Kimura Y, Osakabe Y, Osakabe K, Ralph J, Bartley LE, Umezawa T. Disruption of p-coumaroyl-CoA:monolignol transferases in rice drastically alters lignin composition. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:832-848. [PMID: 37831082 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Grasses are abundant feedstocks that can supply lignocellulosic biomass for production of cell-wall-derived chemicals. In grass cell walls, lignin is acylated with p-coumarate. These p-coumarate decorations arise from the incorporation of monolignol p-coumarate conjugates during lignification. A previous biochemical study identified a rice (Oryza sativa) BAHD acyltransferase (AT) with p-coumaroyl-CoA:monolignol transferase (PMT) activity in vitro. In this study, we determined that that enzyme, which we name OsPMT1 (also known as OsAT4), and the closely related OsPMT2 (OsAT3) harbor similar catalytic activity toward monolignols. We generated rice mutants deficient in either or both OsPMT1 and OsPMT2 by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis and subjected the mutants' cell walls to analysis using chemical and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. Our results demonstrated that OsPMT1 and OsPMT2 both function in lignin p-coumaroylation in the major vegetative tissues of rice. Notably, lignin-bound p-coumarate units were undetectable in the ospmt1 ospmt2-2 double-knockout mutant. Further, in-depth structural analysis of purified lignins from the ospmt1 ospmt2-2 mutant compared with control lignins from wild-type rice revealed stark changes in polymer structures, including alterations in syringyl/guaiacyl aromatic unit ratios and inter-monomeric linkage patterns, and increased molecular weights. Our results provide insights into lignin polymerization in grasses that will be useful for the optimization of bioengineering approaches for the effective use of biomass in biorefineries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Pui Ying Lam
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Center for Crossover Education, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Akita University, Akita, Akita 010-0852, Japan
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Shiro Suzuki
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, and The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Gifu 501-1193Japan
| | - Takuto Tanaka
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Senri Yamamoto
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yuri Takeda-Kimura
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yuriko Osakabe
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa 226-8502Japan
| | - Keishi Osakabe
- Faculty of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Tokushima University,Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503Japan
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry, and the U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Laura E Bartley
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Toshiaki Umezawa
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
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4
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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.
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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.
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Balk M, Sofia P, Neffe AT, Tirelli N. Lignin, the Lignification Process, and Advanced, Lignin-Based Materials. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11668. [PMID: 37511430 PMCID: PMC10380785 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
At a time when environmental considerations are increasingly pushing for the application of circular economy concepts in materials science, lignin stands out as an under-used but promising and environmentally benign building block. This review focuses (A) on understanding what we mean with lignin, i.e., where it can be found and how it is produced in plants, devoting particular attention to the identity of lignols (including ferulates that are instrumental for integrating lignin with cell wall polysaccharides) and to the details of their coupling reactions and (B) on providing an overview how lignin can actually be employed as a component of materials in healthcare and energy applications, finally paying specific attention to the use of lignin in the development of organic shape-memory materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Balk
- Institute of Functional Materials for Sustainability, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Kantstrasse 55, 14513 Teltow, Germany
| | - Pietro Sofia
- Laboratory of Polymers and Biomaterials, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
- The Open University Affiliated Research Centre at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (ARC@IIT), Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Axel T Neffe
- Institute of Functional Materials for Sustainability, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Kantstrasse 55, 14513 Teltow, Germany
| | - Nicola Tirelli
- Laboratory of Polymers and Biomaterials, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
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Houston K, Learmonth A, Hassan AS, Lahnstein J, Looseley M, Little A, Waugh R, Burton RA, Halpin C. Natural variation in HvAT10 underlies grain cell wall-esterified phenolic acid content in cultivated barley. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1095862. [PMID: 37235033 PMCID: PMC10206312 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1095862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The phenolic acids, ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid, are components of plant cell walls in grasses, including many of our major food crops. They have important health-promoting properties in grain, and influence the digestibility of biomass for industrial processing and livestock feed. Both phenolic acids are assumed to be critical to cell wall integrity and ferulic acid, at least, is important for cross-linking cell wall components, but the role of p-coumaric acid is unclear. Here we identify alleles of a BAHD p-coumaroyl arabinoxylan transferase, HvAT10, as responsible for the natural variation in cell wall-esterified phenolic acids in whole grain within a cultivated two-row spring barley panel. We show that HvAT10 is rendered non-functional by a premature stop codon mutation in half of the genotypes in our mapping panel. This results in a dramatic reduction in grain cell wall-esterifed p-coumaric acid, a moderate rise in ferulic acid, and a clear increase in the ferulic acid to p-coumaric acid ratio. The mutation is virtually absent in wild and landrace germplasm suggesting an important function for grain arabinoxylan p-coumaroylation pre-domestication that is dispensable in modern agriculture. Intriguingly, we detected detrimental impacts of the mutated locus on grain quality traits where it was associated with smaller grain and poorer malting properties. HvAT10 could be a focus for improving grain quality for malting or phenolic acid content in wholegrain foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Houston
- Cell and Molecular Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Learmonth
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at The James Hutton Institute, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Saleh Hassan
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, Australia
| | - Jelle Lahnstein
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, Australia
| | - Mark Looseley
- Cell and Molecular Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Little
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, Australia
| | - Robbie Waugh
- Cell and Molecular Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at The James Hutton Institute, Scotland, United Kingdom
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, Australia
| | - Rachel A. Burton
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, Australia
| | - Claire Halpin
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at The James Hutton Institute, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Yin WZ, Xiao LP, Zou SL, Li WX, Wang H, Sun RC. Valorization of lignin through reductive catalytic fractionation of fermented corn stover residues. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 373:128752. [PMID: 36804856 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The fermented corn stover residues are abundant renewable lignin-rich bioresources that show great potential to produce aromatic phenols. However, selective catalytic hydrogenolysis of this residual material still remains challenge to obtain high yields. Herein, a novel strategy to produce monophenolic compounds from the fermented stover over a commercial Pd/C catalyst was proposed. Taking the reaction temperature as the key variable, the highest monomer yield was 28.5 wt% at 220 °C in compaction with that of the pristine corn stover (22.8 wt%). The enhanced monophenol yield was due to the higher contents of lignin and less recalcitrance in the fermented stover. Moreover, the van Krevelen diagram revealed a slight selective CO bond scission of lignin macromolecular during fermentation as well as the dehydration and deoxygenation in hydrogenolysis reaction. Overall, this work opens a new avenue for the valorization of lignin through reductive catalytic fractionation of agricultural wastes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Zheng Yin
- Liaoning Key Lab of Lignocellulose Chemistry and BioMaterials, Liaoning Collaborative Innovation Center for Lignocellulosic Biorefinery, College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, Liaoning, China
| | - Ling-Ping Xiao
- Liaoning Key Lab of Lignocellulose Chemistry and BioMaterials, Liaoning Collaborative Innovation Center for Lignocellulosic Biorefinery, College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, Liaoning, China.
| | - Shuang-Lin Zou
- Liaoning Key Lab of Lignocellulose Chemistry and BioMaterials, Liaoning Collaborative Innovation Center for Lignocellulosic Biorefinery, College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, Liaoning, China
| | - Wen-Xin Li
- Liaoning Key Lab of Lignocellulose Chemistry and BioMaterials, Liaoning Collaborative Innovation Center for Lignocellulosic Biorefinery, College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, Liaoning, China
| | - Hongliang Wang
- Center of Biomass Engineering/College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Run-Cang Sun
- Liaoning Key Lab of Lignocellulose Chemistry and BioMaterials, Liaoning Collaborative Innovation Center for Lignocellulosic Biorefinery, College of Light Industry and Chemical Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, Liaoning, China
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8
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Ramakrishna P, Cesarino I. "Exclusive" update: p-coumaroylation of lignin not restricted to commelinid monocots. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:811-813. [PMID: 36423227 PMCID: PMC9922419 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Priya Ramakrishna
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, UNIL – Geopolis, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Igor Cesarino
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Center, InovaUSP, Avenida Professor Lucio Martins Rodrigues, 370, 05508-020, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Chandrakanth NN, Zhang C, Freeman J, de Souza WR, Bartley LE, Mitchell RA. Modification of plant cell walls with hydroxycinnamic acids by BAHD acyltransferases. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1088879. [PMID: 36733587 PMCID: PMC9887202 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1088879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In the last decade it has become clear that enzymes in the "BAHD" family of acyl-CoA transferases play important roles in the addition of phenolic acids to form ester-linked moieties on cell wall polymers. We focus here on the addition of two such phenolics-the hydroxycinnamates, ferulate and p-coumarate-to two cell wall polymers, glucuronoarabinoxylan and to lignin. The resulting ester-linked feruloyl and p-coumaroyl moities are key features of the cell walls of grasses and other commelinid monocots. The capacity of ferulate to participate in radical oxidative coupling means that its addition to glucuronoarabinoxylan or to lignin has profound implications for the properties of the cell wall - allowing respectively oxidative crosslinking to glucuronoarabinoxylan chains or introducing ester bonds into lignin polymers. A subclade of ~10 BAHD genes in grasses is now known to (1) contain genes strongly implicated in addition of p-coumarate or ferulate to glucuronoarabinoxylan (2) encode enzymes that add p-coumarate or ferulate to lignin precursors. Here, we review the evidence for functions of these genes and the biotechnological applications of manipulating them, discuss our understanding of mechanisms involved, and highlight outstanding questions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chengcheng Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Jackie Freeman
- Plant Sciences, Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Laura E. Bartley
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Rowan A.C. Mitchell
- Plant Sciences, Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
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10
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Shafiei R, Hooper M, McClellan C, Oakey H, Stephens J, Lapierre C, Tsuji Y, Goeminne G, Vanholme R, Boerjan W, Ralph J, Halpin C. Downregulation of barley ferulate 5-hydroxylase dramatically alters straw lignin structure without impact on mechanical properties. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1125003. [PMID: 36726680 PMCID: PMC9886061 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1125003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Barley is a major cereal crop for temperate climates, and a diploid genetic model for polyploid wheat. Cereal straw biomass is an attractive source of feedstock for green technologies but lignin, a key determinant of feedstock recalcitrance, complicates bio-conversion processes. However, manipulating lignin content to improve the conversion process could negatively affect agronomic traits. An alternative approach is to manipulate lignin composition which influences the physical and chemical properties of straw. This study validates the function of a barley ferulate 5-hydroxylase gene and demonstrates that its downregulation using the RNA-interference approach substantially impacts lignin composition. We identified five barley genes having putative ferulate 5-hydroxylase activity. Downregulation of HvF5H1 substantially reduced the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio in straw while the lignin content, straw mechanical properties, plant growth habit, and grain characteristics all remained unaffected. Metabolic profiling revealed significant changes in the abundance of 173 features in the HvF5H1-RNAi lines. The drastic changes in the lignin polymer of transgenic lines highlight the plasticity of barley lignification processes and the associated potential for manipulating and improving lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for green technologies. On the other hand, our results highlight some differences between the lignin biosynthetic pathway in barley, a temperate climate grass, and the warm climate grass, rice, and underscore potential diversity in the lignin biosynthetic pathways in grasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Shafiei
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Hooper
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher McClellan
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Helena Oakey
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Sciences, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Jennifer Stephens
- Cell And Molecular Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | | | - Yukiko Tsuji
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Ruben Vanholme
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB-UGent, Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB-UGent, Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Claire Halpin
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
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11
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Mottiar Y, Smith RA, Karlen SD, Ralph J, Mansfield SD. Evolution of p-coumaroylated lignin in eudicots provides new tools for cell wall engineering. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:251-264. [PMID: 36196006 PMCID: PMC10099755 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ester-linked p-coumarate (pCA) is a hallmark feature of the secondary cell walls in commelinid monocot plants. It has been shown that pCA groups arise during lignin polymerisation from the participation of monolignol conjugates assembled by p-coumaroyl-CoA:monolignol transferase (PMT) enzymes, members of the BAHD superfamily of acyltransferases. Herein, we report that a eudicot species, kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), naturally contains p-coumaroylated lignin in the core tissues of the stems but not in the bast fibres. Moreover, we identified a novel acyltransferase, HcPMT, that shares <30% amino acid identity with known monocot PMT sequences. Recombinant HcPMT showed a preference in enzyme assays for p-coumaroyl-CoA and benzoyl-CoA as acyl donor substrates and sinapyl alcohol as an acyl acceptor. Heterologous expression of HcPMT in hybrid poplar trees led to the incorporation of pCA in lignin, but no improvement in the saccharification potential of the wood. This work illustrates the value in mining diverse plant taxa for new monolignol acyltransferases. Furthermore, the occurrence of pCA outside monocot lineages may represent another example of convergent evolution in lignin structure. This discovery expands textbook views on cell wall biochemistry and provides a new molecular tool for engineering the lignin of biomass feedstock plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaseen Mottiar
- Department of Wood ScienceUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterUniversity of Wisconsin1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
| | - Rebecca A. Smith
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterUniversity of Wisconsin1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of Wisconsin433 Babcock DriveMadisonWI53706USA
| | - Steven D. Karlen
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterUniversity of Wisconsin1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of Wisconsin433 Babcock DriveMadisonWI53706USA
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterUniversity of Wisconsin1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of Wisconsin433 Babcock DriveMadisonWI53706USA
| | - Shawn D. Mansfield
- Department of Wood ScienceUniversity of British Columbia2424 Main MallVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterUniversity of Wisconsin1552 University AvenueMadisonWI53726USA
- Department of BotanyUniversity of British Columbia6270 University BoulevardVancouverBCV6T 1Z4Canada
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12
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Choi SJ, Lee Z, Kim S, Jeong E, Shim JS. Modulation of lignin biosynthesis for drought tolerance in plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1116426. [PMID: 37152118 PMCID: PMC10157170 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1116426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Lignin is a complex polymer that is embedded in plant cell walls to provide physical support and water protection. For these reasons, the production of lignin is closely linked with plant adaptation to terrestrial regions. In response to developmental cues and external environmental conditions, plants use an elaborate regulatory network to determine the timing and location of lignin biosynthesis. In this review, we summarize the canonical lignin biosynthetic pathway and transcriptional regulatory network of lignin biosynthesis, consisting of NAC and MYB transcription factors, to explain how plants regulate lignin deposition under drought stress. Moreover, we discuss how the transcriptional network can be applied to the development of drought tolerant plants.
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13
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Ye ZH, Zhong R. Outstanding questions on xylan biosynthesis. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 325:111476. [PMID: 36174800 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Xylan is the second most abundant polysaccharide in plant biomass. It is a crucial component of cell wall structure as well as a significant factor contributing to biomass recalcitrance. Xylan consists of a linear chain of β-1,4-linked xylosyl residues that are often substituted with glycosyl side chains, such as glucuronosyl/methylglucuronosyl and arabinofuranosyl residues, and acetylated at O-2 and/or O-3. Xylan from gymnosperms and dicots contains a unique reducing end tetrasaccharide sequence that is not detected in xylan from grasses, bryophytes and seedless vascular plants. Grass xylan is heavily decorated at O-3 with arabinofuranosyl residues that are frequently esterified with hydroxycinnamates. Genetic and biochemical studies have uncovered a number of genes involved in xylan backbone elongation and acetylation, xylan glycosyl substitutions and their modifications, and the synthesis of the unique xylan reducing end tetrasaccharide sequence, but some outstanding issues on the biosynthesis of xylan still remain unanswered. Here, we provide a brief overview of xylan structure and focus on discussion of the current understanding and open questions on xylan biosynthesis. Further elucidation of the biochemical mechanisms underlying xylan biosynthesis will not only shed new insights into cell wall biology but also provide molecular tools for genetic modification of biomass composition tailored for diverse end uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Hua Ye
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ruiqin Zhong
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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14
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Ferreira SS, Goeminne G, Simões MS, Pina AVDA, Lima LGAD, Pezard J, Gutiérrez A, Rencoret J, Mortimer JC, Del Río JC, Boerjan W, Cesarino I. Transcriptional and metabolic changes associated with internode development and reduced cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity in sorghum. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:6307-6333. [PMID: 35788296 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms associated with secondary cell wall (SCW) deposition in sorghum remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we employed untargeted metabolomics and large-scale transcriptomics to correlate changes in SCW deposition with variation in global gene expression profiles and metabolite abundance along an elongating internode of sorghum, with a major focus on lignin and phenolic metabolism. To gain deeper insight into the metabolic and transcriptional changes associated with pathway perturbations, a bmr6 mutant [with reduced cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) activity] was analyzed. In the wild type, internode development was accompanied by an increase in the content of oligolignols, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, hydroxycinnamate esters, and flavonoid glucosides, including tricin derivatives. We further identified modules of genes whose expression pattern correlated with SCW deposition and the accumulation of these target metabolites. Reduced CAD activity resulted in the accumulation of hexosylated forms of hydroxycinnamates (and their derivatives), hydroxycinnamaldehydes, and benzenoids. The expression of genes belonging to one specific module in our co-expression analysis correlated with the differential accumulation of these compounds and contributed to explaining this metabolic phenotype. Metabolomics and transcriptomics data further suggested that CAD perturbation activates distinct detoxification routes in sorghum internodes. Our systems biology approach provides a landscape of the metabolic and transcriptional changes associated with internode development and with reduced CAD activity in sorghum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sávio Siqueira Ferreira
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Geert Goeminne
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marcella Siqueira Simões
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jade Pezard
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ana Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida de la Reina Mercedes, Seville, Spain
| | - Jorge Rencoret
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida de la Reina Mercedes, Seville, Spain
| | - Jenny C Mortimer
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - José C Del Río
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Avenida de la Reina Mercedes, Seville, Spain
| | - Wout Boerjan
- VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Igor Cesarino
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, São Paulo, Brazil
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Center, InovaUSP, Avenida Professor Lucio Martins Rodrigues, São Paulo, Brazil
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15
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Hasterok R, Catalan P, Hazen SP, Roulin AC, Vogel JP, Wang K, Mur LAJ. Brachypodium: 20 years as a grass biology model system; the way forward? TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 27:1002-1016. [PMID: 35644781 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
It has been 20 years since Brachypodium distachyon was suggested as a model grass species, but ongoing research now encompasses the entire genus. Extensive Brachypodium genome sequencing programmes have provided resources to explore the determinants and drivers of population diversity. This has been accompanied by cytomolecular studies to make Brachypodium a platform to investigate speciation, polyploidisation, perenniality, and various aspects of chromosome and interphase nucleus organisation. The value of Brachypodium as a functional genomic platform has been underscored by the identification of key genes for development, biotic and abiotic stress, and cell wall structure and function. While Brachypodium is relevant to the biofuel industry, its impact goes far beyond that as an intriguing model to study climate change and combinatorial stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Hasterok
- Plant Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Group, Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice 40-032, Poland.
| | - Pilar Catalan
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, High Polytechnic School of Huesca, University of Zaragoza, Huesca 22071, Spain; Grupo de Bioquímica, Biofísica y Biología Computacional (BIFI, UNIZAR), Unidad Asociada al CSIC, Zaragoza E-50059, Spain
| | - Samuel P Hazen
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Anne C Roulin
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich 8008, Switzerland
| | - John P Vogel
- DOE Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; University California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kai Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, China
| | - Luis A J Mur
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Edward Llwyd Building, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, UK; College of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030801, Shanxi, China.
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16
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Shrestha HK, Fichman Y, Engle NL, Tschaplinski TJ, Mittler R, Dixon RA, Hettich RL, Barros J, Abraham PE. Multi-omic characterization of bifunctional peroxidase 4-coumarate 3-hydroxylase knockdown in Brachypodium distachyon provides insights into lignin modification-associated pleiotropic effects. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:908649. [PMID: 36247563 PMCID: PMC9554711 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.908649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A bifunctional peroxidase enzyme, 4-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H/APX), provides a parallel route to the shikimate shunt pathway for the conversion of 4-coumarate to caffeate in the early steps of lignin biosynthesis. Knockdown of C3H/APX (C3H/APX-KD) expression has been shown to reduce the lignin content in Brachypodium distachyon. However, like many other lignin-modified plants, C3H/APX-KDs show unpredictable pleiotropic phenotypes, including stunted growth, delayed senescence, and reduced seed yield. A system-wide level understanding of altered biological processes in lignin-modified plants can help pinpoint the lignin-modification associated growth defects to benefit future studies aiming to negate the yield penalty. Here, a multi-omic approach was used to characterize molecular changes resulting from C3H/APX-KD associated lignin modification and negative growth phenotype in Brachypodium distachyon. Our findings demonstrate that C3H/APX knockdown in Brachypodium stems substantially alters the abundance of enzymes implicated in the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway and disrupt cellular redox homeostasis. Moreover, it elicits plant defense responses associated with intracellular kinases and phytohormone-based signaling to facilitate growth-defense trade-offs. A deeper understanding along with potential targets to mitigate the pleiotropic phenotypes identified in this study could aid to increase the economic feasibility of lignocellulosic biofuel production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Him K. Shrestha
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Yosef Fichman
- Division of Plant Sciences and Interdisciplinary Plant Group, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Nancy L. Engle
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | | | - Ron Mittler
- Division of Plant Sciences and Interdisciplinary Plant Group, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Richard A. Dixon
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Robert L. Hettich
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Jaime Barros
- Division of Plant Sciences and Interdisciplinary Plant Group, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Paul E. Abraham
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
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17
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Rivai RR, Miyamoto T, Awano T, Yoshinaga A, Chen S, Sugiyama J, Tobimatsu Y, Umezawa T, Kobayashi M. Limiting silicon supply alters lignin content and structures of sorghum seedling cell walls. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 321:111325. [PMID: 35696925 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sorghum has been recognized as a promising energy crop. The composition and structure of lignin in the cell wall are important factors that affect the quality of plant biomass as a bioenergy feedstock. Silicon (Si) supply may affect the lignin content and structure, as both Si and lignin are possibly involved in plant mechanical strength. However, our understanding regarding the interaction between Si and lignin in sorghum is limited. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the lignin in the cell walls of sorghum seedlings cultured hydroponically with or without Si supplementation. Limiting the Si supply significantly increased the thioglycolic acid lignin content and thioacidolysis-derived syringyl/guaiacyl monomer ratio. At least part of the modification may be attributable to the change in gene expression, as suggested by the upregulation of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis-related genes under -Si conditions. The cell walls of the -Si plants had a higher mechanical strength and calorific value than those of the +Si plants. These results provide some insights into the enhancement of the value of sorghum biomass as a feedstock for energy production by limiting Si uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Ramdan Rivai
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; National Research and Innovation Agency of the Republic of Indonesia, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Takuji Miyamoto
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Awano
- Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Arata Yoshinaga
- Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shuoye Chen
- Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Junji Sugiyama
- Division of Forest and Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Umezawa
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masaru Kobayashi
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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18
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Möller SR, Lancefield CS, Oates NC, Simister R, Dowle A, Gomez LD, McQueen-Mason SJ. CRISPR/Cas9 suppression of OsAT10, a rice BAHD acyltransferase, reduces p-coumaric acid incorporation into arabinoxylan without increasing saccharification. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:926300. [PMID: 35937377 PMCID: PMC9355400 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.926300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Ester-linked hydroxycinnamic acids ferulic acid (FA) and para-coumaric acid (p-CA) play important roles in crosslinking within cell wall arabinoxylans (AX) and between AX and lignin in grass cell walls. The addition of hydroxycinnamates to AX, is mediated by the Mitchell clade of BAHD acyl-coenzyme A-utilizing transferases. Overexpression of OsAT10 (a Mitchell clade BAHD acyl transferase) in rice, has previously been shown to increase p-CA content in AX in leaves and stems, leading to increased cell wall digestibility, potentially associated with a concomitant decrease in FA content. To investigate the physiological role of OsAT10 we established CRISPR/Cas9 rice knock-out mutants devoid of OsAT10. Our analysis of hydroxycinnamic acid content in wild type plants revealed that AX associated p-CA is found almost exclusively in rice husks, with very little found in other tissues. Mutant plants were essentially devoid of ester-linked p-CA associated with AX, indicating that OsAT10 represents the major enzyme responsible for the addition of p-CA to arabinoxylan in rice plants. We found no change in the digestibility of rice husk lacking AX-associated p-CA, suggesting that the changes in digestibility seen in OsAT10 overexpressing plants were solely due to compensatory decreases in AX-associated FA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher S. Lancefield
- School of Chemistry and Biomedical Science Research Complex, University of St. Andrews, St.Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola C. Oates
- CNAP, Biology Department, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Rachael Simister
- CNAP, Biology Department, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Dowle
- Biology Department, Bioscience Technology Facility, University of York, York, United Kingdom
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19
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Smith RA, Lu F, Muro-Villanueva F, Cusumano JC, Chapple C, Ralph J. Manipulation of Lignin Monomer Composition Combined with the Introduction of Monolignol Conjugate Biosynthesis Leads to Synergistic Changes in Lignin Structure. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 63:744-754. [PMID: 35275214 PMCID: PMC9245121 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcac031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The complexity of lignin structure impedes efficient cell wall digestibility. Native lignin is composed of a mixture of three dominant monomers, coupled together through a variety of linkages. Work over the past few decades has demonstrated that lignin composition can be altered through a variety of mutational and transgenic approaches such that the polymer is derived almost entirely from a single monomer. In this study, we investigated changes to lignin structure and digestibility in Arabidopsis thaliana in near-single-monolignol transgenics and mutants and determined whether novel monolignol conjugates, produced by a FERULOYL-CoA MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE (FMT) or a p-COUMAROYL-CoA MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE (PMT), could be integrated into these novel polymers to further improve saccharification efficiency. Monolignol conjugates, including a new conjugate of interest, p-coumaryl p-coumarate, were successfully integrated into high-H, high-G and high-S lignins in A. thaliana. Regardless of lignin composition, FMT- and PMT-expressing plants produced monolignol ferulates and monolignol p-coumarates, respectively, and incorporated them into their lignin. Through the production and incorporation of monolignol conjugates into near-single-monolignol lignins, we demonstrated that substrate availability, rather than monolignol transferase substrate preference, is the most important determining factor in the production of monolignol conjugates, and lignin composition helps dictate cell wall digestibility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fachuang Lu
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University
of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | | | - Joanne C Cusumano
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue
University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Clint Chapple
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue
University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue
University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - John Ralph
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University
of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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20
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Smith RA, Beebe ET, Bingman CA, Vander Meulen K, Eugene A, Steiner AJ, Karlen SD, Ralph J, Fox BG. Identification and characterization of a set of monocot BAHD monolignol transferases. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 189:37-48. [PMID: 35134228 PMCID: PMC9070852 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plant BAHD acyltransferases perform a wide range of enzymatic tasks in primary and secondary metabolism. Acyl-CoA monolignol transferases, which couple a CoA substrate to a monolignol creating an ester linkage, represent a more recent class of such acyltransferases. The resulting conjugates may be used for plant defense but are also deployed as important "monomers" for lignification, in which they are incorporated into the growing lignin polymer chain. p-Coumaroyl-CoA monolignol transferases (PMTs) increase the production of monolignol p-coumarates, and feruloyl-CoA monolignol transferases (FMTs) catalyze the production of monolignol ferulate conjugates. We identified putative FMT and PMT enzymes in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and have compared their activities to those of known monolignol transferases. The putative FMT enzymes produced both monolignol ferulate and monolignol p-coumarate conjugates, whereas the putative PMT enzymes produced monolignol p-coumarate conjugates. Enzyme activity measurements revealed that the putative FMT enzymes are not as efficient as the rice (Oryza sativa) control OsFMT enzyme under the conditions tested, but the SbPMT enzyme is as active as the control OsPMT enzyme. These putative FMTs and PMTs were transformed into Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to test their activities and abilities to biosynthesize monolignol conjugates for lignification in planta. The presence of ferulates and p-coumarates on the lignin of these transformants indicated that the putative FMTs and PMTs act as functional feruloyl-CoA and p-coumaroyl-CoA monolignol transferases within plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily T Beebe
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Craig A Bingman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Kirk Vander Meulen
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Alexis Eugene
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
| | | | - Steven D Karlen
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
| | - John Ralph
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Brian G Fox
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
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21
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Liang H, Lin X, Yang P, Sun Y, Wu Q, Alimujiang S, Zhao H, Ma D, Zhan R, Yang J. Genome-Wide Identification of BAHD Superfamily and Functional Characterization of Bornyl Acetyltransferases Involved in the Bornyl Acetate Biosynthesis in Wurfbainia villosa. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:860152. [PMID: 35432416 PMCID: PMC9011770 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.860152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bornyl acetate (BA) is known as a natural aromatic monoterpene ester with a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities. Borneol acetyltransferase (BAT), catalyzing borneol and acetyl-CoA to synthesize BA, is alcohol acetyltransferase, which belongs to the BAHD super acyltransferase family, however, BAT, responsible for the biosynthesis of BA, has not yet been characterized. The seeds of Wurfbainia villosa (homotypic synonym: Amomum villosum) are rich in BA. Here we identified 64 members of the BAHD gene family from the genome of W. villosa using both PF02458 (transferase) and PF07247 (AATase) as Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to screen the BAHD genes. A total of sixty-four WvBAHDs are distributed on 14 chromosomes and nine unanchored contigs, clustering into six clades; three WvBAHDs with PF07247 have formed a separated and novel clade: clade VI. Twelve candidate genes belonging to clade I-a, I-b, and VI were selected to clone and characterize in vitro, among which eight genes have been identified to encode BATs acetylating at least one type of borneol to synthesize BA. All eight WvBATs can utilize (-)-borneol as substrates, but only five WvBATs can catalyze (+)-borneol, which is the endogenous borneol substrate in the seeds of W. villosa; WvBAT3 and WvBAT4 present the better catalytic efficiency on (+)-borneol than the others. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of WvBATs indicate that WvBAT3 and WvBAT4 are seed-specific expression genes, and their expression levels are correlated with the accumulation of BA, suggesting WvBAT3 and WvBAT4 might be the two key BATs for BA synthesis in the seeds of W. villosa. This is the first report on BAT responsible for the last biosynthetic step of BA, which will contribute to further studies on BA biosynthesis and metabolism engineering of BA in other plants or heterologous hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilin Liang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojing Lin
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Synthetic Biology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China
| | - Yewen Sun
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingwen Wu
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shamukaer Alimujiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiying Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongming Ma
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruoting Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinfen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Ministry of Education), Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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22
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de Vries L, MacKay HA, Smith RA, Mottiar Y, Karlen SD, Unda F, Muirragui E, Bingman C, Vander Meulen K, Beebe ET, Fox BG, Ralph J, Mansfield SD. pHBMT1, a BAHD-family monolignol acyltransferase, mediates lignin acylation in poplar. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:1014-1027. [PMID: 34977949 PMCID: PMC8825253 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Poplar (Populus) lignin is naturally acylated with p-hydroxybenzoate ester moieties. However, the enzyme(s) involved in the biosynthesis of the monolignol-p-hydroxybenzoates have remained largely unknown. Here, we performed an in vitro screen of the Populus trichocarpa BAHD acyltransferase superfamily (116 genes) using a wheatgerm cell-free translation system and found five enzymes capable of producing monolignol-p-hydroxybenzoates. We then compared the transcript abundance of the five corresponding genes with p-hydroxybenzoate concentrations using naturally occurring unrelated genotypes of P. trichocarpa and revealed a positive correlation between the expression of p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA monolig-nol transferase (pHBMT1, Potri.001G448000) and p-hydroxybenzoate levels. To test whether pHBMT1 is responsible for the biosynthesis of monolignol-p-hydroxybenzoates, we overexpressed pHBMT1 in hybrid poplar (Populus alba × P. grandidentata) (35S::pHBMT1 and C4H::pHBMT1). Using three complementary analytical methods, we showed that there was an increase in soluble monolignol-p-hydroxybenzoates and cell-wall-bound monolignol-p-hydroxybenzoates in the poplar transgenics. As these pendent groups are ester-linked, saponification releases p-hydroxybenzoate, a precursor to parabens that are used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. This identified gene could therefore be used to engineer lignocellulosic biomass with increased value for emerging biorefinery strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne de Vries
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
| | - Heather A MacKay
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Rebecca A Smith
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Yaseen Mottiar
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
| | - Steven D Karlen
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Faride Unda
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
| | - Emilia Muirragui
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Craig Bingman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Kirk Vander Meulen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Emily T Beebe
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Brian G Fox
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - John Ralph
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Shawn D Mansfield
- Department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- US Department of Energy (DOE) Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
- Author for communication:
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23
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Mottiar Y, Mansfield SD. Lignin p-Hydroxybenzoylation Is Negatively Correlated With Syringyl Units in Poplar. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:938083. [PMID: 35937345 PMCID: PMC9355280 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.938083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The lignin found in the cell walls of poplar fibres is decorated with ester-linked p-hydroxybenzoate moieties that originate from the participation of acylated monolignols in lignin polymerisation. Although little is known about the biological implications of these cell-wall constituents, it has historically been postulated that acylated monolignols might promote lignification in syringyl lignin-rich species such as poplar. However, cell-wall-bound p-hydroxybenzoate groups were negatively correlated with syringyl units in a collection of 316 unrelated genotypes of black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa). Based upon this observation, several alternative hypotheses on the occurrence of lignin acylation are presented.
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24
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Lapierre C, Sibout R, Laurans F, Lesage-Descauses MC, Déjardin A, Pilate G. p-Coumaroylation of poplar lignins impacts lignin structure and improves wood saccharification. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:1374-1386. [PMID: 34618081 PMCID: PMC8566233 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose into glucose, referred to as saccharification, is severely hampered by lignins. Here, we analyzed transgenic poplars (Populus tremula × Populus alba) expressing the Brachypodium (Brachypodium distachyon) p-coumaroyl-Coenzyme A monolignol transferase 1 (BdPMT1) gene driven by the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) Cinnamate 4-Hydroxylase (AtC4H) promoter in the wild-type (WT) line and in a line overexpressing the Arabidopsis Ferulate 5-Hydroxylase (AtF5H). BdPMT1 encodes a transferase which catalyzes the acylation of monolignols by p-coumaric acid (pCA). Several BdPMT1-OE/WT and BdPMT1-OE/AtF5H-OE lines were grown in the greenhouse, and BdPMT1 expression in xylem was confirmed by RT-PCR. Analyses of poplar stem cell walls (CWs) and of the corresponding purified dioxan lignins (DLs) revealed that BdPMT1-OE lignins were as p-coumaroylated as lignins from C3 grass straws. For some transformants, pCA levels reached 11 mg·g-1 CW and 66 mg·g-1 DL, exceeding levels in Brachypodium or wheat (Triticum aestivum) samples. This unprecedentedly high lignin p-coumaroylation affected neither poplar growth nor stem lignin content. Interestingly, p-coumaroylation of poplar lignins was not favored in BdPMT1-OE/AtF5H-OE transgenic lines despite their high frequency of syringyl units. However, lignins of all BdPMT1-OE lines were structurally modified, with an increase of terminal unit with free phenolic groups. Relative to controls, this increase argues for a reduced polymerization degree of BdPMT1-OE lignins and makes them more soluble in cold NaOH solution. The p-coumaroylation of poplar samples improved the saccharification yield of alkali-pretreated CW, demonstrating that the genetically driven p-coumaroylation of lignins is a promising strategy to make wood lignins more susceptible to alkaline treatments used during the industrial processing of lignocellulosics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Gilles Pilate
- INRAE, ONF, BioForA, Orléans, France
- Author for communication:
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25
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Shimada N, Munekata N, Tsuyama T, Matsushita Y, Fukushima K, Kijidani Y, Takabe K, Yazaki K, Kamei I. Active Transport of Lignin Precursors into Membrane Vesicles from Lignifying Tissues of Bamboo. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10112237. [PMID: 34834600 PMCID: PMC8620782 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Lignin is the second most abundant natural polymer on Earth and is a major cell wall component in vascular plants. Lignin biosynthesis has three stages: biosynthesis, transport, and polymerization of its precursors. However, there is limited knowledge on lignin precursor transport, especially in monocots. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the transport mode of lignin monomers in the lignifying tissues of bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens). The growth manners and lignification processes of bamboo shoots were elucidated, which enabled us to obtain the lignifying tissues reproducibly. Microsomal membrane fractions were prepared from tissues undergoing vigorous lignification to analyze the transport activities of lignin precursors in order to show the ATP-dependent transport of coniferin and p-glucocoumaryl alcohol. The transport activities for both precursors depend on vacuolar type H+-ATPase and a H+ gradient across the membrane, suggesting that the electrochemical potential is the driving force of the transport of both substrates. These findings are similar to the transport properties of these lignin precursors in the differentiating xylem of poplar and Japanese cypress. Our findings suggest that transport of coniferin and p-glucocoumaryl alcohol is mediated by secondary active transporters energized partly by the vacuolar type H+-ATPase, which is common in lignifying tissues. The loading of these lignin precursors into endomembrane compartments may contribute to lignification in vascular plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsumi Shimada
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan; (N.S.); (N.M.); (Y.K.); (I.K.)
| | - Noriaki Munekata
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan; (N.S.); (N.M.); (Y.K.); (I.K.)
| | - Taku Tsuyama
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan; (N.S.); (N.M.); (Y.K.); (I.K.)
| | - Yasuyuki Matsushita
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.F.)
| | - Kazuhiko Fukushima
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan; (Y.M.); (K.F.)
| | - Yoshio Kijidani
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan; (N.S.); (N.M.); (Y.K.); (I.K.)
| | - Keiji Takabe
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan;
| | - Kazufumi Yazaki
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Japan;
| | - Ichiro Kamei
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan; (N.S.); (N.M.); (Y.K.); (I.K.)
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26
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Gonzales-Vigil E, vonLoessl ME, Chen JY, Li S, Haslam TM, Kunst L, Mansfield SD. Understanding the Role of Populus ECERIFERUM2-Likes in the Biosynthesis of Very-Long-Chain Fatty Acids for Cuticular Waxes. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 62:827-838. [PMID: 33749753 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcab040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular waxes are derived from very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) precursors made by the concerted action of four enzymes that form the fatty acid (FA) elongation complex. The condensing enzyme of the complex confers specificity to substrates of different chain lengths, yet on its own cannot account for the biosynthesis of VLCFAs longer than 28 carbons (C28). Recent evidence from Arabidopsis thaliana points to a synergistic role of clade II BAHD acyltransferases and condensing enzymes in the elongation of VLCFAs beyond C28. In Populus trichocarpa, clade II is composed of seven uncharacterized paralogous genes (PtCER2-like1-7). In the present study, five of these genes were heterologously expressed in yeast and their respective FA profiles were determined. PtCER2-likes differentially altered the accumulation of C28 and C30 FAs when expressed in the presence of the condensing enzyme AtCER6. Among these, PtCER2-like5 produced the highest levels of C28 FAs in yeast and its expression was localized to the epidermis in β-glucuronidase-reporter poplar lines, consistent with a role in cuticular wax biosynthesis. Complementation of the A. thaliana cer2-5 mutant with PtCER2-like5 increased the levels of C28-derived cuticular waxes at the expense of C30-derived components. Together, these results demonstrate that the role of CER2-likes in cuticular wax biosynthesis is conserved in Populus clade II BAHD acyltransferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Gonzales-Vigil
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Michelle E vonLoessl
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jeff Y Chen
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Sitong Li
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Tegan M Haslam
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ljerka Kunst
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Shawn D Mansfield
- Department of Wood Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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27
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Yang X, Hill KA, Austin RS, Tian L. Differential Gene Expression of Brachypodium distachyon Roots Colonized by Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus and the Role of BdCESA8 in the Colonization. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2021; 34:1143-1156. [PMID: 34709058 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-06-20-0170-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Alternatives to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer are needed to reduce the costs of crop production and offset environmental damage. Nitrogen-fixing bacterium Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus has been proposed as a possible biofertilizer for monocot crop production. However, the colonization of G. diazotrophicus in most monocot crops is limited and deep understanding of the response of host plants to G. diazotrophicus colonization is still lacking. In this study, the molecular response of the monocot plant model Brachypodium distachyon was studied during G. diazotrophicus root colonization. The gene expression profiles of B. distachyon root tissues colonized by G. diazotrophicus were generated via next-generation RNA sequencing, and investigated through gene ontology and metabolic pathway analysis. The RNA sequencing results indicated that Brachypodium is actively involved in G. diazotrophicus colonization via cell wall synthesis. Jasmonic acid, ethylene, gibberellin biosynthesis. nitrogen assimilation, and primary and secondary metabolite pathways are also modulated to accommodate and control the extent of G. diazotrophicus colonization. Cellulose synthesis is significantly downregulated during colonization. The loss of function mutant for Brachypodium cellulose synthase 8 (BdCESA8) showed decreased cellulose content in xylem and increased resistance to G. diazotrophicus colonization. This result suggested that the cellulose synthesis of the secondary cell wall is involved in G. diazotrophicus colonization. The results of this study provide insights for future research in regard to gene manipulation for efficient colonization of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Brachypodium and monocot crops.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Yang
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, ON N5V 4T3, Canada
| | - Kathleen A Hill
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Ryan S Austin
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, ON N5V 4T3, Canada
| | - Lining Tian
- London Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, ON N5V 4T3, Canada
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28
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Zhao Y, Yu X, Lam PY, Zhang K, Tobimatsu Y, Liu CJ. Monolignol acyltransferase for lignin p-hydroxybenzoylation in Populus. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:1288-1300. [PMID: 34354261 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00975-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plant lignification exhibits notable plasticity. Lignin in many species, including Populus spp., has long been known to be decorated with p-hydroxybenzoates. However, the molecular basis for such structural modification remains undetermined. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a Populus BAHD family acyltransferase that catalyses monolignol p-hydroxybenzoylation, thus controlling the formation of p-hydroxybenzoylated lignin structures. We reveal that Populus acyltransferase PHBMT1 kinetically preferentially uses p-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA to acylate syringyl lignin monomer sinapyl alcohol in vitro. Consistently, disrupting PHBMT1 in Populus via CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing nearly completely depletes p-hydroxybenzoates of stem lignin; conversely, overexpression of PHBMT1 enhances stem lignin p-hydroxybenzoylation, suggesting PHBMT1 functions as a prime monolignol p-hydroxybenzoyltransferase in planta. Altering lignin p-hydroxybenzoylation substantially changes the lignin solvent dissolution rate, indicative of its structural significance on lignin physiochemical properties. Identification of monolignol p-hydroxybenzoyltransferase offers a valuable tool for tailoring lignin structure and physiochemical properties and for engineering the industrially important platform chemical in woody biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjun Zhao
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
| | - Xiaohong Yu
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology Department, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Pui-Ying Lam
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Japan
| | - Kewei Zhang
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
- Institute of Plant Genetics and Developmental Biology, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology on Specialty Economic Plants, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, P. R. China
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Japan
| | - Chang-Jun Liu
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA.
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29
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Smith RA, Cass CL, Petrik DL, Padmakshan D, Ralph J, Sedbrook JC, Karlen SD. Stacking AsFMT overexpression with BdPMT loss of function enhances monolignol ferulate production in Brachypodium distachyon. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1878-1886. [PMID: 33949064 PMCID: PMC8428837 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
To what degree can the lignin subunits in a monocot be derived from monolignol ferulate (ML-FA) conjugates? This simple question comes with a complex set of variables. Three potential requirements for optimizing ML-FA production are as follows: (1) The presence of an active FERULOYL-CoA MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE (FMT) enzyme throughout monolignol production; (2) Suppression or elimination of enzymatic pathways competing for monolignols and intermediates during lignin biosynthesis; and (3) Exclusion of alternative phenolic compounds that participate in lignification. A 16-fold increase in lignin-bound ML-FA incorporation was observed by introducing an AsFMT gene into Brachypodium distachyon. On its own, knocking out the native p-COUMAROYL-CoA MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE (BdPMT) pathway that competes for monolignols and the p-coumaroyl-CoA intermediate did not change ML-FA incorporation, nor did partial loss of CINNAMOYL-CoA REDUCTASE1 (CCR1) function, which reduced metabolic flux to monolignols. However, stacking AsFMT into the Bdpmt-1 mutant resulted in a 32-fold increase in ML-FA incorporation into lignin over the wild-type level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Smith
- U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Department of BiochemistryWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of WisconsinMadisonWIUSA
| | - Cynthia L. Cass
- School of Biological SciencesIllinois State UniversityNormalILUSA
- U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMadisonWIUSA
| | - Deborah L. Petrik
- School of Biological SciencesIllinois State UniversityNormalILUSA
- U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMadisonWIUSA
- Department of BiologyNortheastern State UniversityTahlequahOKUSA
| | - Dharshana Padmakshan
- U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Department of BiochemistryWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of WisconsinMadisonWIUSA
| | - John Ralph
- U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Department of BiochemistryWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of WisconsinMadisonWIUSA
| | - John C. Sedbrook
- School of Biological SciencesIllinois State UniversityNormalILUSA
- U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research CenterMadisonWIUSA
| | - Steven D. Karlen
- U.S. Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Department of BiochemistryWisconsin Energy InstituteUniversity of WisconsinMadisonWIUSA
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30
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Yao T, Feng K, Xie M, Barros J, Tschaplinski TJ, Tuskan GA, Muchero W, Chen JG. Phylogenetic Occurrence of the Phenylpropanoid Pathway and Lignin Biosynthesis in Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:704697. [PMID: 34484267 PMCID: PMC8416159 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.704697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The phenylpropanoid pathway serves as a rich source of metabolites in plants and provides precursors for lignin biosynthesis. Lignin first appeared in tracheophytes and has been hypothesized to have played pivotal roles in land plant colonization. In this review, we summarize recent progress in defining the lignin biosynthetic pathway in lycophytes, monilophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. In particular, we review the key structural genes involved in p-hydroxyphenyl-, guaiacyl-, and syringyl-lignin biosynthesis across plant taxa and consider and integrate new insights on major transcription factors, such as NACs and MYBs. We also review insight regarding a new transcriptional regulator, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase, canonically identified as a key enzyme in the shikimate pathway. We use several case studies, including EPSP synthase, to illustrate the evolution processes of gene duplication and neo-functionalization in lignin biosynthesis. This review provides new insights into the genetic engineering of the lignin biosynthetic pathway to overcome biomass recalcitrance in bioenergy crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yao
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Kai Feng
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Meng Xie
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, United States
| | - Jaime Barros
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, United States
| | - Timothy J. Tschaplinski
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Gerald A. Tuskan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Wellington Muchero
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Jin-Gui Chen
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
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31
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Wang L, Chen K, Zhang M, Ye M, Qiao X. Catalytic function, mechanism, and application of plant acyltransferases. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 42:125-144. [PMID: 34151663 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1931015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Acyltransferases (ATs) are important tailoring enzymes that contribute to the diversity of natural products. They catalyze the transfer of acyl groups to the skeleton, which improves the lipid solubility, stability, and pharmacological activity of natural compounds. In recent years, a number of ATs have been isolated from plants. In this review, we have summarized 141 biochemically characterized ATs during the period July 1997 to October 2020, including their function, heterologous expression systems, and catalytic mechanisms. Their catalytic performance and application potential has been further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Min Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
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32
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Fanelli A, Rancour DM, Sullivan M, Karlen SD, Ralph J, Riaño-Pachón DM, Vicentini R, Silva TDF, Ferraz A, Hatfield RD, Romanel E. Overexpression of a Sugarcane BAHD Acyltransferase Alters Hydroxycinnamate Content in Maize Cell Wall. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:626168. [PMID: 33995431 PMCID: PMC8117936 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.626168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The purification of hydroxycinnamic acids [p-coumaric acid (pCA) and ferulic acid (FA)] from grass cell walls requires high-cost processes. Feedstocks with increased levels of one hydroxycinnamate in preference to the other are therefore highly desirable. We identified and conducted expression analysis for nine BAHD acyltransferase ScAts genes from sugarcane. The high conservation of AT10 proteins, together with their similar gene expression patterns, supported a similar role in distinct grasses. Overexpression of ScAT10 in maize resulted in up to 75% increase in total pCA content. Mild hydrolysis and derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC) analysis showed that pCA increase was restricted to the hemicellulosic portion of the cell wall. Furthermore, total FA content was reduced up to 88%, resulting in a 10-fold increase in the pCA/FA ratio. Thus, we functionally characterized a sugarcane gene involved in pCA content on hemicelluloses and generated a C4 plant that is promising for valorizing pCA production in biorefineries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Fanelli
- Laboratório de Genômica de Plantas e Bioenergia (PGEMBL), Departamento de Biotecnologia, Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Universidade de São Paulo, Lorena, Brazil
| | | | - Michael Sullivan
- U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Steven D. Karlen
- Department of Biochemistry, and The Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - John Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry, and The Department of Energy’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, The Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Diego Mauricio Riaño-Pachón
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional, Evolutiva e de Sistemas, Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Renato Vicentini
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Tatiane da Franca Silva
- Laboratório de Genômica de Plantas e Bioenergia (PGEMBL), Departamento de Biotecnologia, Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Universidade de São Paulo, Lorena, Brazil
| | - André Ferraz
- Laboratório de Ciências da Madeira, Departamento de Biotecnologia, Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Universidade de São Paulo, Lorena, Brazil
| | - Ronald D. Hatfield
- U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Elisson Romanel
- Laboratório de Genômica de Plantas e Bioenergia (PGEMBL), Departamento de Biotecnologia, Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Universidade de São Paulo, Lorena, Brazil
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Rosado MJ, Rencoret J, Marques G, Gutiérrez A, del Río JC. Structural Characteristics of the Guaiacyl-Rich Lignins From Rice ( Oryza sativa L.) Husks and Straw. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:640475. [PMID: 33679856 PMCID: PMC7932998 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.640475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major cereal crop used for human nutrition worldwide. Harvesting and processing of rice generates huge amounts of lignocellulosic by-products such as rice husks and straw, which present important lignin contents that can be used to produce chemicals and materials. In this work, the structural characteristics of the lignins from rice husks and straw have been studied in detail. For this, whole cell walls of rice husks and straw and their isolated lignin preparations were thoroughly analyzed by an array of analytical techniques, including pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC). The analyses revealed that both lignins, particularly the lignin from rice husks, were highly enriched in guaiacyl (G) units, and depleted in p-hydroxyphenyl (H) and syringyl (S) units, with H:G:S compositions of 7:81:12 (for rice husks) and 5:71:24 (for rice straw). These compositions were reflected in the relative abundances of the different interunit linkages. Hence, the lignin from rice husks were depleted in β-O-4' alkyl-aryl ether units (representing 65% of all inter-unit linkages), but presented important amounts of β-5' (phenylcoumarans, 23%) and other condensed units. On the other hand, the lignin from rice straw presented higher levels of β-O-4' alkyl-aryl ethers (78%) but lower levels of phenylcoumarans (β-5', 12%) and other condensed linkages, consistent with a lignin with a slightly higher S/G ratio. In addition, both lignins were partially acylated at the γ-OH of the side-chain (ca. 10-12% acylation degree) with p-coumarates, which overwhelmingly occurred over S-units. Finally, important amounts of the flavone tricin were also found incorporated into these lignins, being particularly abundant in the lignin of rice straw.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - José C. del Río
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, Seville, Spain
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Mota TR, de Souza WR, Oliveira DM, Martins PK, Sampaio BL, Vinecky F, Ribeiro AP, Duarte KE, Pacheco TF, Monteiro NDKV, Campanha RB, Marchiosi R, Vieira DS, Kobayashi AK, Molinari PADO, Ferrarese-Filho O, Mitchell RAC, Molinari HBC, Dos Santos WD. Suppression of a BAHD acyltransferase decreases p-coumaroyl on arabinoxylan and improves biomass digestibility in the model grass Setaria viridis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:136-150. [PMID: 33111398 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Grass cell walls have hydroxycinnamic acids attached to arabinosyl residues of arabinoxylan (AX), and certain BAHD acyltransferases are involved in their addition. In this study, we characterized one of these BAHD genes in the cell wall of the model grass Setaria viridis. RNAi silenced lines of S. viridis (SvBAHD05) presented a decrease of up to 42% of ester-linked p-coumarate (pCA) and 50% of pCA-arabinofuranosyl, across three generations. Biomass from SvBAHD05 silenced plants exhibited up to 32% increase in biomass saccharification after acid pre-treatment, with no change in total lignin. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that SvBAHD05 is a p-coumaroyl coenzyme A transferase (PAT) mainly involved in the addition of pCA to the arabinofuranosyl residues of AX in Setaria. Thus, our results provide evidence of p-coumaroylation of AX promoted by SvBAHD05 acyltransferase in the cell wall of the model grass S. viridis. Furthermore, SvBAHD05 is a promising biotechnological target to engineer crops for improved biomass digestibility for biofuels, biorefineries and animal feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thatiane R Mota
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Wagner R de Souza
- Embrapa Agroenergy, Brasília, DF, 70770-901, Brazil
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, 09606-045, Brazil
| | - Dyoni M Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Norberto de K V Monteiro
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59078-970, Brazil
- Department of Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60455-760, Brazil
| | | | - Rogério Marchiosi
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Davi S Vieira
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59078-970, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Rowan A C Mitchell
- Plant Sciences, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK
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Simões MS, Ferreira SS, Grandis A, Rencoret J, Persson S, Floh EIS, Ferraz A, del Río JC, Buckeridge MS, Cesarino I. Differentiation of Tracheary Elements in Sugarcane Suspension Cells Involves Changes in Secondary Wall Deposition and Extensive Transcriptional Reprogramming. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:617020. [PMID: 33469464 PMCID: PMC7814504 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.617020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Plant lignocellulosic biomass, mostly composed of polysaccharide-rich secondary cell walls (SCWs), provides fermentable sugars that may be used to produce biofuels and biomaterials. However, the complex chemical composition and physical structure of SCWs hinder efficient processing of plant biomass. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying SCW deposition is, thus, essential to optimize bioenergy feedstocks. Here, we establish a xylogenic culture as a model system to study SCW deposition in sugarcane; the first of its kind in a C4 grass species. We used auxin and brassinolide to differentiate sugarcane suspension cells into tracheary elements, which showed metaxylem-like reticulate or pitted SCW patterning. The differentiation led to increased lignin levels, mainly caused by S-lignin units, and a rise in p-coumarate, leading to increased p-coumarate:ferulate ratios. RNAseq analysis revealed massive transcriptional reprogramming during differentiation, with upregulation of genes associated with cell wall biogenesis and phenylpropanoid metabolism and downregulation of genes related to cell division and primary metabolism. To better understand the differentiation process, we constructed regulatory networks of transcription factors and SCW-related genes based on co-expression analyses. Accordingly, we found multiple regulatory modules that may underpin SCW deposition in sugarcane. Our results provide important insights and resources to identify biotechnological strategies for sugarcane biomass optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Siqueira Simões
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sávio Siqueira Ferreira
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriana Grandis
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jorge Rencoret
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Staffan Persson
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Copenhagen Plant Science Center, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Eny Iochevet Segal Floh
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Ferraz
- Departamento de Biotecnologia, Escola de Engenharia de Lorena, Universidade de São Paulo, Lorena, Brazil
| | - José C. del Río
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Marcos Silveira Buckeridge
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Center, InovaUSP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Igor Cesarino
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Center, InovaUSP, São Paulo, Brazil
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36
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Eugene A, Lapierre C, Ralph J. Improved analysis of arabinoxylan-bound hydroxycinnamate conjugates in grass cell walls. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2020; 13:202. [PMID: 33303001 PMCID: PMC7731738 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01841-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arabinoxylan in grass cell walls is acylated to varying extents by ferulate and p-coumarate at the 5-hydroxy position of arabinosyl residues branching off the xylan backbone. Some of these hydroxycinnamate units may then become involved in cell wall radical coupling reactions, resulting in ether and other linkages amongst themselves or to monolignols or oligolignols, thereby crosslinking arabinoxylan chains with each other and/or with lignin polymers. This crosslinking is assumed to increase the strength of the cell wall, and impedes the utilization of grass biomass in natural and industrial processes. A method for quantifying the degree of acylation in various grass tissues is, therefore, essential. We sought to reduce the incidence of hydroxycinnamate ester hydrolysis in our recently introduced method by utilizing more anhydrous conditions. RESULTS The improved methanolysis method minimizes the undesirable ester-cleavage of arabinose from ferulate and p-coumarate esters, and from diferulate dehydrodimers, and produces more methanolysis vs. hydrolysis of xylan-arabinosides, improving the yields of the desired feruloylated and p-coumaroylated methyl arabinosides and their diferulate analogs. Free ferulate and p-coumarate produced by ester-cleavage were reduced by 78% and 68%, respectively, and 21% and 39% more feruloyl and p-coumaroyl methyl arabinosides were detected in the more anhydrous method. The new protocol resulted in an estimated 56% less combined diferulate isomers in which only one acylated arabinosyl unit remained, and 170% more combined diferulate isomers conjugated to two arabinosyl units. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the new protocol for mild acidolysis of grass cell walls is both recovering more ferulate- and p-coumarate-arabinose conjugates from the arabinoxylan and cleaving less of them down to free ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and dehydrodiferulates with just one arabinosyl ester. This cleaner method, especially when coupled with the orthogonal method for measuring monolignol hydroxycinnamate conjugates that have been incorporated into lignin, provides an enhanced tool to measure the extent of crosslinking in grass arabinoxylan chains, assisting in identification of useful grasses for biomass applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Eugene
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Catherine Lapierre
- Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, France
| | - John Ralph
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
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Coomey JH, Sibout R, Hazen SP. Grass secondary cell walls, Brachypodium distachyon as a model for discovery. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 227:1649-1667. [PMID: 32285456 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A key aspect of plant growth is the synthesis and deposition of cell walls. In specific tissues and cell types including xylem and fibre, a thick secondary wall comprised of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin is deposited. Secondary cell walls provide a physical barrier that protects plants from pathogens, promotes tolerance to abiotic stresses and fortifies cells to withstand the forces associated with water transport and the physical weight of plant structures. Grasses have numerous cell wall features that are distinct from eudicots and other plants. Study of the model species Brachypodium distachyon as well as other grasses has revealed numerous features of the grass cell wall. These include the characterisation of xylosyl and arabinosyltransferases, a mixed-linkage glucan synthase and hydroxycinnamate acyltransferases. Perhaps the most fertile area for discovery has been the formation of lignins, including the identification of novel substrates and enzyme activities towards the synthesis of monolignols. Other enzymes function as polymerising agents or transferases that modify lignins and facilitate interactions with polysaccharides. The regulatory aspects of cell wall biosynthesis are largely overlapping with those of eudicots, but salient differences among species have been resolved that begin to identify the determinants that define grass cell walls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua H Coomey
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
- Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Richard Sibout
- Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, INRAE, UR BIA, F-44316, Nantes, France
| | - Samuel P Hazen
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
- Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
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38
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Oliveira DM, Mota TR, Salatta FV, Sinzker RC, Končitíková R, Kopečný D, Simister R, Silva M, Goeminne G, Morreel K, Rencoret J, Gutiérrez A, Tryfona T, Marchiosi R, Dupree P, Del Río JC, Boerjan W, McQueen-Mason SJ, Gomez LD, Ferrarese-Filho O, Dos Santos WD. Cell wall remodeling under salt stress: Insights into changes in polysaccharides, feruloylation, lignification, and phenolic metabolism in maize. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2020; 43:2172-2191. [PMID: 32441772 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Although cell wall polymers play important roles in the tolerance of plants to abiotic stress, the effects of salinity on cell wall composition and metabolism in grasses remain largely unexplored. Here, we conducted an in-depth study of changes in cell wall composition and phenolic metabolism induced upon salinity in maize seedlings and plants. Cell wall characterization revealed that salt stress modulated the deposition of cellulose, matrix polysaccharides and lignin in seedling roots, plant roots and stems. The extraction and analysis of arabinoxylans by size-exclusion chromatography, 2D-NMR spectroscopy and carbohydrate gel electrophoresis showed a reduction of arabinoxylan content in salt-stressed roots. Saponification and mild acid hydrolysis revealed that salinity also reduced the feruloylation of arabinoxylans in roots of seedlings and plants. Determination of lignin content and composition by nitrobenzene oxidation and 2D-NMR confirmed the increased incorporation of syringyl units in lignin of maize roots. Salt stress also induced the expression of genes and the activity of enzymes enrolled in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The UHPLC-MS-based metabolite profiling confirmed the modulation of phenolic profiling by salinity and the accumulation of ferulate and its derivatives 3- and 4-O-feruloyl quinate. In conclusion, we present a model for explaining cell wall remodeling in response to salinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dyoni M Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Thatiane R Mota
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Fábio V Salatta
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Renata C Sinzker
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Radka Končitíková
- Department of Protein Biochemistry and Proteomics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - David Kopečný
- Department of Protein Biochemistry and Proteomics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Rachael Simister
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Mariana Silva
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Geert Goeminne
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kris Morreel
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jorge Rencoret
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Ana Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Theodora Tryfona
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rogério Marchiosi
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Brazil
| | - Paul Dupree
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - José C Del Río
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Wout Boerjan
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Simon J McQueen-Mason
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Leonardo D Gomez
- Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
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Miyamoto T, Takada R, Tobimatsu Y, Suzuki S, Yamamura M, Osakabe K, Osakabe Y, Sakamoto M, Umezawa T. Double knockout of OsWRKY36 and OsWRKY102 boosts lignification with altering culm morphology of rice. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 296:110466. [PMID: 32539998 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Breeding to enrich lignin, a major component of lignocelluloses, in plants contributes to enhanced applications of lignocellulosic biomass into solid biofuels and valuable aromatic chemicals. To collect information on enhancing lignin deposition in grass species, important lignocellulose feedstocks, we generated rice (Oryza sativa) transgenic lines deficient in OsWRKY36 and OsWRKY102, which encode putative transcriptional repressors for secondary cell wall formation. We used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis and closely characterized their altered cell walls using chemical and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods. Both OsWRKY36 and OsWRKY102 mutations significantly increased lignin content by up to 28 % and 32 %, respectively. Additionally, OsWRKY36/OsWRKY102-double-mutant lines displayed lignin enrichment of cell walls (by up to 41 %) with substantially altered culm morphology over the single-mutant lines as well as the wild-type controls. Our chemical and NMR analyses showed that relative abundances of guaiacyl and p-coumarate units were slightly higher and lower, respectively, in the WRKY mutant lignins compared with those in the wild-type lignins. Our results provide evidence that both OsWRKY36 and OsWRKY102 are associated with repression of rice lignification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuji Miyamoto
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Rie Takada
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Shiro Suzuki
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Masaomi Yamamura
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Keishi Osakabe
- Faculty of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Tokushima University, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yuriko Osakabe
- Faculty of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Tokushima University, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sakamoto
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Umezawa
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan; Research Unit for Development of Global Sustainability, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan.
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Karlen SD, Fasahati P, Mazaheri M, Serate J, Smith RA, Sirobhushanam S, Chen M, Tymokhin VI, Cass CL, Liu S, Padmakshan D, Xie D, Zhang Y, McGee MA, Russell JD, Coon JJ, Kaeppler HF, de Leon N, Maravelias CT, Runge TM, Kaeppler SM, Sedbrook JC, Ralph J. Assessing the Viability of Recovery of Hydroxycinnamic Acids from Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Alkaline Pretreatment Waste Streams. CHEMSUSCHEM 2020; 13:2012-2024. [PMID: 31984673 PMCID: PMC7217007 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201903345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The hydroxycinnamic acids p-coumaric acid (pCA) and ferulic acid (FA) add diversity to the portfolio of products produced by using grass-fed lignocellulosic biorefineries. The level of lignin-bound pCA in Zea mays was modified by the alteration of p-coumaroyl-CoA monolignol transferase expression. The biomass was processed in a lab-scale alkaline-pretreatment biorefinery process and the data were used for a baseline technoeconomic analysis to determine where to direct future research efforts to couple plant design to biomass utilization processes. It is concluded that future plant engineering efforts should focus on strategies that ramp up accumulation of one type of hydroxycinnamate (pCA or FA) predominantly and suppress that of the other. Technoeconomic analysis indicates that target extraction titers of one hydroxycinnamic acid need to be >50 g kg-1 biomass, at least five times higher than observed titers for the impure pCA/FA product mixture from wild-type maize. The technical challenge for process engineers is to develop a viable process that requires more than 80 % reduction of the isolation costs.
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41
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Zhang J, Xie M, Li M, Ding J, Pu Y, Bryan AC, Rottmann W, Winkeler KA, Collins CM, Singan V, Lindquist EA, Jawdy SS, Gunter LE, Engle NL, Yang X, Barry K, Tschaplinski TJ, Schmutz J, Tuskan GA, Muchero W, Chen J. Overexpression of a Prefoldin β subunit gene reduces biomass recalcitrance in the bioenergy crop Populus. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2020; 18:859-871. [PMID: 31498543 PMCID: PMC7004918 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Prefoldin (PFD) is a group II chaperonin that is ubiquitously present in the eukaryotic kingdom. Six subunits (PFD1-6) form a jellyfish-like heterohexameric PFD complex and function in protein folding and cytoskeleton organization. However, little is known about its function in plant cell wall-related processes. Here, we report the functional characterization of a PFD gene from Populus deltoides, designated as PdPFD2.2. There are two copies of PFD2 in Populus, and PdPFD2.2 was ubiquitously expressed with high transcript abundance in the cambial region. PdPFD2.2 can physically interact with DELLA protein RGA1_8g, and its subcellular localization is affected by the interaction. In P. deltoides transgenic plants overexpressing PdPFD2.2, the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl ratio was increased, but cellulose content and crystallinity index were unchanged. In addition, the total released sugar (glucose and xylose) amounts were increased by 7.6% and 6.1%, respectively, in two transgenic lines. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that secondary metabolic pathways, including lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis, were affected by overexpressing PdPFD2.2. A total of eight hub transcription factors (TFs) were identified based on TF binding sites of differentially expressed genes in Populus transgenic plants overexpressing PdPFD2.2. In addition, several known cell wall-related TFs, such as MYB3, MYB4, MYB7, TT8 and XND1, were affected by overexpression of PdPFD2.2. These results suggest that overexpression of PdPFD2.2 can reduce biomass recalcitrance and PdPFD2.2 is a promising target for genetic engineering to improve feedstock characteristics to enhance biofuel conversion and reduce the cost of lignocellulosic biofuel production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Meng Xie
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Mi Li
- Chemical & Biomolecular EngineeringUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Jinhua Ding
- Chemical & Biomolecular EngineeringUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
- College of TextilesDonghua UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yunqiao Pu
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Vasanth Singan
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome InstituteWalnut CreekCAUSA
| | | | - Sara S. Jawdy
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Lee E. Gunter
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Nancy L. Engle
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Xiaohan Yang
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Kerrie Barry
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome InstituteWalnut CreekCAUSA
| | - Timothy J. Tschaplinski
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Jeremy Schmutz
- U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome InstituteWalnut CreekCAUSA
- HudsonAlpha Institute for BiotechnologyHuntsvilleALUSA
| | - Gerald A. Tuskan
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Wellington Muchero
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
| | - Jin‐Gui Chen
- Biosciences DivisionOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
- Center for Bioenergy InnovationOak Ridge National LaboratoryOak RidgeTNUSA
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42
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Mnich E, Bjarnholt N, Eudes A, Harholt J, Holland C, Jørgensen B, Larsen FH, Liu M, Manat R, Meyer AS, Mikkelsen JD, Motawia MS, Muschiol J, Møller BL, Møller SR, Perzon A, Petersen BL, Ravn JL, Ulvskov P. Phenolic cross-links: building and de-constructing the plant cell wall. Nat Prod Rep 2020; 37:919-961. [PMID: 31971193 DOI: 10.1039/c9np00028c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Covering: Up to 2019Phenolic cross-links and phenolic inter-unit linkages result from the oxidative coupling of two hydroxycinnamates or two molecules of tyrosine. Free dimers of hydroxycinnamates, lignans, play important roles in plant defence. Cross-linking of bound phenolics in the plant cell wall affects cell expansion, wall strength, digestibility, degradability, and pathogen resistance. Cross-links mediated by phenolic substituents are particularly important as they confer strength to the wall via the formation of new covalent bonds, and by excluding water from it. Four biopolymer classes are known to be involved in the formation of phenolic cross-links: lignins, extensins, glucuronoarabinoxylans, and side-chains of rhamnogalacturonan-I. Lignins and extensins are ubiquitous in streptophytes whereas aromatic substituents on xylan and pectic side-chains are commonly assumed to be particular features of Poales sensu lato and core Caryophyllales, respectively. Cross-linking of phenolic moieties proceeds via radical formation, is catalyzed by peroxidases and laccases, and involves monolignols, tyrosine in extensins, and ferulate esters on xylan and pectin. Ferulate substituents, on xylan in particular, are thought to be nucleation points for lignin polymerization and are, therefore, of paramount importance to wall architecture in grasses and for the development of technology for wall disassembly, e.g. for the use of grass biomass for production of 2nd generation biofuels. This review summarizes current knowledge on the intra- and extracellular acylation of polysaccharides, and inter- and intra-molecular cross-linking of different constituents. Enzyme mediated lignan in vitro synthesis for pharmaceutical uses are covered as are industrial exploitation of mutant and transgenic approaches to control cell wall cross-linking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Mnich
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
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43
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Simões MS, Carvalho GG, Ferreira SS, Hernandes-Lopes J, de Setta N, Cesarino I. Genome-wide characterization of the laccase gene family in Setaria viridis reveals members potentially involved in lignification. PLANTA 2020; 251:46. [PMID: 31915928 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-020-03337-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Five laccase genes are potentially involved in developmental lignification in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis and their different tissue specificities suggest subfunctionalization events. Plant laccases are copper-containing glycoproteins involved in monolignol oxidation and, therefore, their activity is essential for lignin polymerization. Although these enzymes belong to large multigene families with highly redundant members, not all of them are thought to be involved in lignin metabolism. Here, we report on the genome-wide characterization of the laccase gene family in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis and further identification of the members potentially involved in monolignol oxidation. A total of 52 genes encoding laccases (SvLAC1 to SvLAC52) were found in the genome of S. viridis, and phylogenetic analyses showed that these genes were heterogeneously distributed among the characteristic six subclades of the family and are under relaxed selective constraints. The observed expansion in the total number of genes in this species was mainly caused by tandem duplications within subclade V, which accounts for 68% of the whole family. Comparative phylogenetic analyses showed that the expansion of subclade V is specifically observed for the Paniceae tribe within the Panicoideae subfamily in grasses. Five SvLAC genes (SvLAC9, SvLAC13, SvLAC15, SvLAC50, and SvLAC52) fulfilled the criteria established to identify lignin-related candidates: (1) phylogenetic proximity to previously characterized lignin-related laccases from other species, (2) similar expression pattern to that observed for lignin biosynthetic genes in the S. viridis elongating internode, and (3) high expression in S. viridis tissues undergoing active lignification. In addition, in situ hybridization experiments not only confirmed that these selected SvLAC genes were expressed in lignifying cells, but also that their expression showed different tissue specificities, suggesting subfunctionalization events within the family. These five laccase genes are strong candidates to be involved in lignin polymerization in S. viridis and might be good targets for lignin bioengineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Siqueira Simões
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Garon Carvalho
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Sávio Siqueira Ferreira
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - José Hernandes-Lopes
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Nathalia de Setta
- Centro de Ciências Naturais E Humanas, Universidade Federal Do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, 09606-070, Brazil
| | - Igor Cesarino
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil.
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44
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Lin CY, Eudes A. Strategies for the production of biochemicals in bioenergy crops. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2020; 13:71. [PMID: 32318116 PMCID: PMC7158082 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01707-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Industrial crops are grown to produce goods for manufacturing. Rather than food and feed, they supply raw materials for making biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemicals, as well as feedstocks for fabricating fiber, biopolymer, and construction materials. Therefore, such crops offer the potential to reduce our dependency on petrochemicals that currently serve as building blocks for manufacturing the majority of our industrial and consumer products. In this review, we are providing examples of metabolites synthesized in plants that can be used as bio-based platform chemicals for partial replacement of their petroleum-derived counterparts. Plant metabolic engineering approaches aiming at increasing the content of these metabolites in biomass are presented. In particular, we emphasize on recent advances in the manipulation of the shikimate and isoprenoid biosynthetic pathways, both of which being the source of multiple valuable compounds. Implementing and optimizing engineered metabolic pathways for accumulation of coproducts in bioenergy crops may represent a valuable option for enhancing the commercial value of biomass and attaining sustainable lignocellulosic biorefineries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Yuan Lin
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Aymerick Eudes
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
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45
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Barros J, Dixon RA. Plant Phenylalanine/Tyrosine Ammonia-lyases. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 25:66-79. [PMID: 31679994 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Aromatic amino acid deaminases are key enzymes mediating carbon flux from primary to secondary metabolism in plants. Recent studies have uncovered a tyrosine ammonia-lyase that contributes to the typical characteristics of grass cell walls and contributes to about 50% of the total lignin synthesized by the plant. Grasses are currently preferred bioenergy feedstocks and lignin is the most important limiting factor in the conversion of plant biomass to liquid biofuels, as well as being an abundant renewable carbon source that can be industrially exploited. Further research on the structure, evolution, regulation, and biological function of functionally distinct ammonia-lyases has multiple implications for improving the economics of the agri-food and biofuel industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Barros
- BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA; Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Richard A Dixon
- BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA; Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
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46
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Majira A, Godon B, Foulon L, van der Putten JC, Cézard L, Thierry M, Pion F, Bado‐Nilles A, Pandard P, Jayabalan T, Aguié‐Béghin V, Ducrot P, Lapierre C, Marlair G, Gosselink RJA, Baumberger S, Cottyn B. Enhancing the Antioxidant Activity of Technical Lignins by Combining Solvent Fractionation and Ionic-Liquid Treatment. CHEMSUSCHEM 2019; 12:4799-4809. [PMID: 31436856 PMCID: PMC6899661 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201901916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A grass soda technical lignin (PB1000) underwent a process combining solvent fractionation and treatment with an ionic liquid (IL), and a comprehensive investigation of the structural modifications was performed by using high-performance size-exclusion chromatography, 31 P NMR spectroscopy, thioacidolysis, and GC-MS. Three fractions with distinct reactivity were recovered from successive ethyl acetate (EA), butanone, and methanol extractions. In parallel, a fraction deprived of EA extractives was obtained. The samples were treated with methyl imidazolium bromide ([HMIM]Br) by using either conventional heating or microwave irradiation. The treatment allowed us to solubilize 28 % of the EA-insoluble fraction and yielded additional free phenols in all the fractions, as a consequence of depolymerization and demethylation. The gain of the combined process in terms of antioxidant properties was demonstrated through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH. ) radical-scavenging tests. Integrating further IL safety-related data and environmental considerations, this study paves the way for the sustainable production of phenolic oligomers competing with commercial antioxidants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amel Majira
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
| | - Blandine Godon
- FARE Laboratory, Fractionnement des AgroRessources et EnvironnementINRA Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne51100ReimsFrance
| | - Laurence Foulon
- FARE Laboratory, Fractionnement des AgroRessources et EnvironnementINRA Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne51100ReimsFrance
| | | | - Laurent Cézard
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
| | - Marina Thierry
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
| | - Florian Pion
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
| | - Anne Bado‐Nilles
- Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS)Parc Technologique Alata, BP260550Verneuil-en-HalatteFrance
| | - Pascal Pandard
- Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS)Parc Technologique Alata, BP260550Verneuil-en-HalatteFrance
| | - Thangavelu Jayabalan
- Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS)Parc Technologique Alata, BP260550Verneuil-en-HalatteFrance
| | - Véronique Aguié‐Béghin
- FARE Laboratory, Fractionnement des AgroRessources et EnvironnementINRA Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne51100ReimsFrance
| | - Paul‐Henri Ducrot
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
| | - Catherine Lapierre
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
| | - Guy Marlair
- Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS)Parc Technologique Alata, BP260550Verneuil-en-HalatteFrance
| | | | - Stephanie Baumberger
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
| | - Betty Cottyn
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRSUniversité Paris-Saclay78000VersaillesFrance
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47
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Ferreira SS, Simões MS, Carvalho GG, de Lima LGA, Svartman RMDA, Cesarino I. The lignin toolbox of the model grass Setaria viridis. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 101:235-255. [PMID: 31254267 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-019-00897-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The core set of biosynthetic genes potentially involved in developmental lignification was identified in the model C4 grass Setaria viridis. Lignin has been recognized as a major recalcitrant factor negatively affecting the processing of plant biomass into bioproducts. However, the efficient manipulation of lignin deposition in order to generate optimized crops for the biorefinery requires a fundamental knowledge of several aspects of lignin metabolism, including regulation, biosynthesis and polymerization. The current availability of an annotated genome for the model grass Setaria viridis allows the genome-wide characterization of genes involved in the metabolic pathway leading to the production of monolignols, the main building blocks of lignin. Here we performed a comprehensive study of monolignol biosynthetic genes as an initial step into the characterization of lignin metabolism in S. viridis. A total of 56 genes encoding bona fide enzymes catalyzing the consecutive ten steps of the monolignol biosynthetic pathway were identified in the S. viridis genome. A combination of comparative phylogenetic studies, high-throughput expression analysis and quantitative RT-PCR analysis was further employed to identify the family members potentially involved in developmental lignification. Accordingly, 14 genes clustered with genes from closely related species with a known function in lignification and showed an expression pattern that correlates with lignin deposition. These genes were considered the "core lignin toolbox" responsible for the constitutive, developmental lignification in S. viridis. These results provide the basis for further understanding lignin deposition in C4 grasses and will ultimately allow the validation of biotechnological strategies to produce crops with enhanced processing properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sávio Siqueira Ferreira
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Marcella Siqueira Simões
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Garon Carvalho
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Leydson Gabriel Alves de Lima
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | | | - Igor Cesarino
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil.
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48
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Bhatia R, Dalton S, Roberts LA, Moron-Garcia OM, Iacono R, Kosik O, Gallagher JA, Bosch M. Modified expression of ZmMYB167 in Brachypodium distachyon and Zea mays leads to increased cell wall lignin and phenolic content. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8800. [PMID: 31217516 PMCID: PMC6584667 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45225-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the challenges to enable targeted modification of lignocellulosic biomass from grasses for improved biofuel and biochemical production lies within our limited understanding of the transcriptional control of secondary cell wall biosynthesis. Here, we investigated the role of the maize MYB transcription factor ZmMYB167 in secondary cell wall biosynthesis and how modified ZmMYB167 expression in two distinct grass model species affects plant biomass and growth phenotypes. Heterologous expression of ZmMYB167 in the C3 model system Brachypodium led to mild dwarf phenotypes, increased lignin (~7% to 13%) and S-lignin monomer (~11% to 16%) content, elevated concentrations of cell wall-bound p-coumaric acid (~15% to 24%) and reduced biomass sugar release (~20%) compared to controls. Overexpression of ZmMYB167 in the C4 model system Zea mays increased lignin (~4% to 13%), p-coumaric acid (~8% to 52%) and ferulic acid (~13% to 38%) content but did not affect plant growth and development nor biomass recalcitrance. Taken together, modifying ZmMYB167 expression represents a target to alter lignin and phenolic content in grasses. The ZmMYB167 expression-induced discrepancies in plant phenotypic and biomass properties between the two grass model systems highlight the challenges and opportunities for MYB transcription factor-based genetic engineering approaches of grass biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Bhatia
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EE, UK.
| | - Sue Dalton
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Luned A Roberts
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Odin M Moron-Garcia
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Rosario Iacono
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Ondrej Kosik
- Rothamsted Research, West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Joe A Gallagher
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EE, UK
| | - Maurice Bosch
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EE, UK.
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49
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Miyamoto T, Takada R, Tobimatsu Y, Takeda Y, Suzuki S, Yamamura M, Osakabe K, Osakabe Y, Sakamoto M, Umezawa T. OsMYB108 loss-of-function enriches p-coumaroylated and tricin lignin units in rice cell walls. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 98:975-987. [PMID: 30773774 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Breeding approaches to enrich lignins in biomass could be beneficial to improving the biorefinery process because lignins increase biomass heating value and represent a potent source of valuable aromatic chemicals. However, despite the fact that grasses are promising lignocellulose feedstocks, limited information is yet available for molecular-breeding approaches to upregulate lignin biosynthesis in grass species. In this study, we generated lignin-enriched transgenic rice (Oryza sativa), a model grass species, via targeted mutagenesis of the transcriptional repressor OsMYB108 using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. The OsMYB108-knockout rice mutants displayed increased expressions of lignin biosynthetic genes and enhanced lignin deposition in culm cell walls. Chemical and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses revealed that the mutant cell walls were preferentially enriched in γ-p-coumaroylated and tricin lignin units, both of which are typical and unique components in grass lignins. NMR analysis also showed that the relative abundances of major lignin linkage types were altered in the OsMYB108 mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuji Miyamoto
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Rie Takada
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yuki Tobimatsu
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yuri Takeda
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Shiro Suzuki
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Masaomi Yamamura
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Keishi Osakabe
- Faculty of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Tokushima University, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yuriko Osakabe
- Faculty of Bioscience and Bioindustry, Tokushima University, Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sakamoto
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Umezawa
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
- Research Unit for Development of Global Sustainability, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
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50
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de Souza WR, Pacheco TF, Duarte KE, Sampaio BL, de Oliveira Molinari PA, Martins PK, Santiago TR, Formighieri EF, Vinecky F, Ribeiro AP, da Cunha BADB, Kobayashi AK, Mitchell RAC, de Sousa Rodrigues Gambetta D, Molinari HBC. Silencing of a BAHD acyltransferase in sugarcane increases biomass digestibility. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:111. [PMID: 31080518 PMCID: PMC6501328 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1450-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) covers vast areas of land (around 25 million ha worldwide), and its processing is already linked into infrastructure for producing bioethanol in many countries. This makes it an ideal candidate for improving composition of its residues (mostly cell walls), making them more suitable for cellulosic ethanol production. In this paper, we report an approach to improving saccharification of sugarcane straw by RNAi silencing of the recently discovered BAHD01 gene responsible for feruloylation of grass cell walls. RESULTS We identified six BAHD genes in the sugarcane genome (SacBAHDs) and generated five lines with substantially decreased SacBAHD01 expression. To find optimal conditions for determining saccharification of sugarcane straw, we tried multiple combinations of solvent and temperature pretreatment conditions, devising a predictive model for finding their effects on glucose release. Under optimal conditions, demonstrated by Organosolv pretreatment using 30% ethanol for 240 min, transgenic lines showed increases in saccharification efficiency of up to 24%. The three lines with improved saccharification efficiency had lower cell-wall ferulate content but unchanged monosaccharide and lignin compositions. CONCLUSIONS The silencing of SacBAHD01 gene and subsequent decrease of cell-wall ferulate contents indicate a promising novel biotechnological approach for improving the suitability of sugarcane residues for cellulosic ethanol production. In addition, the Organosolv pretreatment of the genetically modified biomass and the optimal conditions for the enzymatic hydrolysis presented here might be incorporated in the sugarcane industry for bioethanol production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wagner Rodrigo de Souza
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
- Centre of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP 09606-045 Brazil
| | - Thályta Fraga Pacheco
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
| | - Karoline Estefani Duarte
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
| | - Bruno Leite Sampaio
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
| | | | - Polyana Kelly Martins
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
| | - Thaís Ribeiro Santiago
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
| | | | - Felipe Vinecky
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Ribeiro
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
| | | | - Adilson Kenji Kobayashi
- Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Embrapa Agroenergy (CNPAE), Brasília, DF 70770-901 Brazil
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