Changes in cell walls lignification, feruloylation and p-coumaroylation throughout maize internode development

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 30;14(7):e0219923. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219923. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Plant cell walls development is an integrated process during which several components are deposited successively. In the cell walls in grass, the accessibility of structural polysaccharides is limited by the cell walls structure and composition mainly as a result of phenolic compounds. Here, we studied the patterns of cell walls establishment in the internode supporting the ear in three distinct maize genotypes. The developmental patterns observed in the internode cell walls in terms of its composition are reported with an emphasis on lignification, p-coumaroylation and feruloylation. We combined biochemical and histological approaches and revealed that internode cell walls development in maize before flowering is characterized by the rapid deposition of secondary cell walls components and robust lignification in both the pith and the rind. After flowering and until silage maturity, the slow deposition of secondary walls components occurs in the cortical region, and the deposited lignins are rich in β-O-4 bonds and are highly p-coumaroylated. We conclude the paper by proposing a revised spatiotemporal model based on that proposed by Terashima et al. (1993) for cell walls development in grass.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Wall / chemistry
  • Coumaric Acids / chemistry*
  • Genotype
  • Inbreeding
  • Lignin / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Propionates / chemistry*
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Zea mays / chemistry
  • Zea mays / genetics
  • Zea mays / growth & development*

Substances

  • Coumaric Acids
  • Plant Extracts
  • Propionates
  • Lignin
  • ferulic acid
  • p-coumaric acid

Grants and funding

This study was funded by French Government Grants (LabEx Saclay Plant Sciences-SPS, ref. ANR-10-LABX-0040-SPS to VM, and ANR-11-BTBR-0006 BIOMASS FOR THE FUTURE to VM), managed by the French National Research Agency under an “Investments for the Future” program (ref. ANR-11-IDEX-0003-02 to VM). This work was also funded by CEPIA INRA Division grants (AIC HistoChem and Intégrale to VM). The study was also funded by the école doctorale Sciences du Végétal in the form of salary to FEH. This work was also supported by the French Research National Agency (ANR) in the context of the MAGIC program (ANR-08-BLAN-0307-01 to VM). YZ was supported by grants from INRA CEPIA and INRA BV.