Abstract
Cryptomeria fortunei, also known as the Chinese cedar, is an important timber species in southern China. The primary component of its woody tissues is lignin, mainly present in secondary cell walls. Therefore, continuous lignin synthesis is crucial for wood formation. In this study, we aimed to discover key genes involved in lignin synthesis expressed in the vascular cambium of C. fortunei. Through transcriptome sequencing, we detected expression of two genes, 4CL and CCoAOMT, known to be homologous to enzymes involved in the lignin synthesis pathway. We studied the function of these genes through bioinformatics analysis, cloning, vascular cambium expression analysis, and transgenic cross-species functional validation studies. Our results show that Cf4CL and CfCCoAOMT do indeed function in the pathway of lignin synthesis and likely perform this function in C. fortunei. They are prime candidates for future (gene-editing) studies aimed at optimizing C. fortunei wood production.
Highlights
Cryptomeria fortunei is a widely cultivated, strongly adaptable woody species that has a high economic value due to its rapid growth
We demonstrated a functional analysis of C. fortunei 4-(hydroxy) cinnamoyl CoA ligase (4CL) and CCoAOMT, key enzymes involved in the lignin synthesis pathway
We acquired transcriptome data from C. fortunei stem vascular cambium at different growth stages [17], and we identified genes expressed in this tissue
Summary
Cryptomeria fortunei is a widely cultivated, strongly adaptable woody species that has a high economic value due to its rapid growth. We aim to improve our understanding of C. fortunei wood production by studying its lignin synthesis pathways. Wood is the secondary xylem of perennial woody plants that is formed as a result of the proliferation and differentiation of vascular cambium cells. It is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, among which lignin is the main component of the secondary cell wall. It occupies approximately 25–35% [1] of the wood dry weight. Lignin can enhance the mechanical support of stems and provide resistance to bacterial infections
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