1. Commelinid Monocotyledon Lignins Are Acylated by p-Coumarate
- Author
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Steven D. Karlen, Bronwen G. Smith, John Ralph, Philip J. Harris, Heather C. A. Free, and Dharshana Padmakshan
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Poales ,biology ,Physiology ,Plant Science ,Commelinaceae ,biology.organism_classification ,Arecales ,01 natural sciences ,Monocotyledon ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,030104 developmental biology ,Commelinales ,chemistry ,Botany ,Genetics ,Lignin ,Poaceae ,Monolignol ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Commelinid monocotyledons are a monophyletic clade differentiated from other monocotyledons by the presence of cell wall-bound ferulate and p-coumarate. The Poaceae, or grass family, is a member of this group, and most of the p-coumarate in the cell walls of this family acylates lignin. Here, we isolated and examined lignified cell wall preparations from 10 species of commelinid monocotyledons from nine families other than Poaceae, including species from all four commelinid monocotyledon orders (Poales, Zingiberales, Commelinales, and Arecales). We showed that, as in the Poaceae, lignin-linked p-coumarate occurs exclusively on the hydroxyl group on the γ-carbon of lignin unit side chains, mostly on syringyl units. Although the mechanism of acylation has not been studied directly in these species, it is likely to be similar to that in the Poaceae and involve BAHD acyl-coenzyme A:monolignol transferases.
- Published
- 2018