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Formation of syringyl-rich lignins in maize as influenced by feruloylated xylans and p-coumaroylated monolignols

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Abstract

Grass cell walls are atypical because their xylans are acylated with ferulate and lignins are acylated with p-coumarate. To probe the role and interactions of these p-hydroxycinnamates during lignification, feruloylated primary cell walls isolated from maize cell suspensions were lignified with coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols and with varying levels of p-coumarate esters. Ferulate xylan esters enhanced the formation of wall-bound syringyl lignin more than methyl p-coumarate, however, maximal concentrations of syringyl lignin were only one-third that of guaiacyl lignin. Including sinapyl p-coumarate, the presumed precursor of p-coumaroylated lignins, with monolignols unexpectedly accelerated peroxidase inactivation, interfered with ferulate copolymerization into lignin, and had minimal or adverse effects on cell wall lignification. Free phenolic groups of p-coumarate esters in isolated maize lignin and pith cell walls did not undergo oxidative coupling with each other or with added monolignols. Thus, the extensive formation of syringyl-rich lignins and the functional role of extensive lignin acylation by p-coumarate in grasses remains a mystery.

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Abbreviations

AIP:

2-Aminoindan-2-phosphonic acid

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Hoon Kim for providing some of the coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols used in our experiments. Christy Davidson is gratefully acknowledged for assisting with the preparation and analysis of cell walls. Ronald Hatfield and Jane Marita are recognized for helping with p-hydroxycinnamate analyses by GLC-FID and GLC-MS. The authors also thank John Ralph for his insightful comments, which enhanced the manuscript. This work was supported in part by USDA-NRI (1994-37500-0580, 1996-35304-3864, and 2003-35103-13834). Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the USDA and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1925 Linden Drive West, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    John H. Grabber & Fachuang Lu

  2. Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Fachuang Lu

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  1. John H. Grabber
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  2. Fachuang Lu
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Correspondence to John H. Grabber.

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Grabber, J.H., Lu, F. Formation of syringyl-rich lignins in maize as influenced by feruloylated xylans and p-coumaroylated monolignols. Planta 226, 741–751 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0521-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0521-3

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