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Plant Physiol, October 2000, Vol. 124, pp. 563-578
Essential Role of Caffeoyl Coenzyme A
O-Methyltransferase in Lignin Biosynthesis in Woody
Poplar Plants
Ruiqin
Zhong,
W. Herbert
Morrison III,
David S.
Himmelsbach,
Farris
L.
Poole II, and
Zheng-Hua
Ye*
Department of Botany, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 (R.Z., Z.-H.Y.); and Richard B. Russell Agriculture Research Center,
United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service,
Athens, Georgia 30604 (W.H.M., D.S.H., F.L.P.)
Caffeoyl coenzyme A O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT)
has recently been shown to participate in lignin biosynthesis in
herbacious tobacco plants. Here, we demonstrate that CCoAOMT is
essential in lignin biosynthesis in woody poplar (Populus
tremula × Populus alba) plants. In poplar
stems, CCoAOMT was found to be expressed in all lignifying cells
including vessel elements and fibers as well as in xylem ray parenchyma
cells. Repression of CCoAOMT expression by the antisense approach in
transgenic poplar plants caused a significant decrease in total lignin
content as detected by both Klason lignin assay and Fourier-transform
infrared spectroscopy. The reduction in lignin content was the result
of a decrease in both guaiacyl and syringyl lignins as determined by
in-source pyrolysis mass spectrometry. Fourier-transform infrared
spectroscopy indicated that the reduction in lignin content resulted in
a less condensed and less cross-linked lignin structure in wood.
Repression of CCoAOMT expression also led to coloration of wood and an
elevation of wall-bound p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Taken
together, these results indicate that CCoAOMT plays a dominant role in
the methylation of the 3-hydroxyl group of caffeoyl CoA, and the
CCoAOMT-mediated methylation reaction is essential to channel
substrates for 5-methoxylation of hydroxycinnamates. They also suggest
that antisense repression of CCoAOMT is an efficient means for genetic
engineering of trees with low lignin content.
*
Corresponding author; e-mail ye{at}dogwood.botany.uga.edu; fax
706-542-1805.
© 2000 American Society of Plant Physiologists
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