AUTHOR=Song Dongliang , Gui Jinshan , Liu Chenchen , Sun Jiayan , Li Laigeng 

TITLE=Suppression of PtrDUF579-3 Expression Causes Structural Changes of the Glucuronoxylan in Populus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2016.00493

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2016.00493

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>DUF579</italic> (domain unknown function 579) genes have been reported to play diverse roles in cell wall biosynthesis, such as in glucuronoxylan (GX) synthesis. As GX is a major type of hemicelluloses in hard wood species, how <italic>DUF579</italic> genes function in wood formation remains to be demonstrated <italic>in planta</italic>. This study reports a <italic>Populus DUF579</italic> gene, <italic>PtrDUF579-3</italic>, which is characterized for its function in wood cell wall formation. <italic>PtrDUF579-3</italic> is localized in Golgi apparatus and catalyzes methylation of the glucuronic acid (GlcA) in GX biosynthesis. Suppression of <italic>PtrDUF579-3</italic> expression in <italic>Populus</italic> caused a reduction in both the GlcA side chain number and GlcA side chain methylation on the GX backbone. The modified GX polymer through <italic>PtrDUF579-3</italic> suppression was more susceptible to acid treatment and the <italic>PtrDUF579-3</italic> suppressed plants displayed enhanced cellulose digestibility. These results suggest that <italic>PtrDUF579-3</italic> is involved in GX biosynthesis and GX structure can be modified through <italic>PtrDUF579-3</italic> suppression in <italic>Populus</italic>.</p>