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Perturbation Of Brachypodium Distachyon Cellulose Synthase A4 Or 7 Results In Abnormal Cell Walls, Pubudu P. Handakumbura, Dominick A. Matos, Karen S. Osmont, Michael J. Harrington, Kyuyoung Heo, Kabindra Kafle, Seong H. Kim, Tobias I. Baskin, Samuel P. Hazen
Perturbation Of Brachypodium Distachyon Cellulose Synthase A4 Or 7 Results In Abnormal Cell Walls, Pubudu P. Handakumbura, Dominick A. Matos, Karen S. Osmont, Michael J. Harrington, Kyuyoung Heo, Kabindra Kafle, Seong H. Kim, Tobias I. Baskin, Samuel P. Hazen
Samuel P Hazen
Background: Cellulose is an integral component of the plant cell wall and accounts for approximately forty percent of total plant biomass but understanding its mechanism of synthesis remains elusive. CELLULOSE SYNTHASE A (CESA) proteins function as catalytic subunits of a rosette-shaped complex that synthesizes cellulose at the plasma membrane. Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa) secondary wall CESA loss-of-function mutants have weak stems and irregular or thin cell walls. Results: Here, we identify candidates for secondary wall CESAs in Brachypodium distachyon as having similar amino acid sequence and expression to those characterized in A. thaliana, namely CESA4/7/8. To functionally characterize …
Functional Characterization Of Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase And Caffeic Acid O-Methyltransferase In Brachypodium Distachyon, Gina M. Trabucco, Dominick A. Matos, Scott J. Lee, Aaron J. Saathoff, Henry D. Priest, Todd C. Mockler, Gautam Sarath, Samuel P. Hazen
Functional Characterization Of Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase And Caffeic Acid O-Methyltransferase In Brachypodium Distachyon, Gina M. Trabucco, Dominick A. Matos, Scott J. Lee, Aaron J. Saathoff, Henry D. Priest, Todd C. Mockler, Gautam Sarath, Samuel P. Hazen
Samuel P Hazen
Background: Lignin is a significant barrier in the conversion of plant biomass to bioethanol. Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) catalyze key steps in the pathway of lignin monomer biosynthesis. Brown midrib mutants in Zea mays and Sorghum bicolor with impaired CAD or COMT activity have attracted considerable agronomic interest for their altered lignin composition and improved digestibility. Here, we identified and functionally characterized candidate genes encoding CAD and COMT enzymes in the grass model species Brachypodium distachyon with the aim of improving crops for efficient biofuel production. Results: We developed transgenic plants overexpressing artificial microRNA designed …