Frontiers in Plant Science (Jul 2022)
Lignin p-Hydroxybenzoylation Is Negatively Correlated With Syringyl Units in Poplar
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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