Abstract
Arabidopsis thaliana transcription factors belonging to the ERFIIId and ERFIIIe subclade (ERFIIId/e) of the APETALA 2/ethylene response factor (AP2/ERF) family enhance primary cell wall (PCW) formation. These transcription factors activate expression of genes encoding PCW-type cellulose synthase (CESA) subunits and other genes for PCW biosynthesis. In this study, we show that fiber-specific expression of ERF035-VP16 and ERF041-VP16, which are VP16-fused proteins of ERFIIId/e members, promote cell wall thickening in a wild-type background with a concomitant increase of alcohol insoluble residues (cell wall content) per fresh weight (FW) and monosaccharides related to the PCW without affecting plant growth. Furthermore, in the ERF041-VP16 lines, the total amount of lignin and the syringyl (S)/guaiacyl (G) ratio decreased, and the enzymatic saccharification yield of glucose from cellulose per fresh weight improved. In these lines, PCW-type CESA genes were upregulated and ferulate 5-hydropxylase1 (F5H1), which is necessary for production of the S unit lignin, was downregulated. In addition, various changes in the expression levels of transcription factors regulating secondary cell wall (SCW) formation were observed. In conclusion, fiber cell-specific ERF041-VP16 improves biomass yield, increases PCW components, and alters lignin composition and deposition and may be suitable for use in future molecular breeding programs of biomass crops.
Highlights
Advancing technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions is an important goal for sustainable development of our society
We reported that VP16-fused proteins of the APETALA 2/ethylene response factor (AP2/ERF) transcription factor family ERFIIId/e (ERFIIId/ e-VP16) promote the formation of thickened cell walls with properties of the primary cell wall (PCW) in the nst1-1 nst3-1 background (Sakamoto et al, 2018)
We transformed NST3pro:ERF035-VP16 and NST3pro:ERF041-VP16 into wild-type to investigate whether ERFIIId/e-VP16 induces similar cell wall thickening in the wild-type background
Summary
Advancing technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions is an important goal for sustainable development of our society. Lignocellulosic biomass is primarily composed of cellulose (approximately 40–50%), ClassIIId/e ERFs Increase Biomass hemicellulose (approximately 20–30%), and lignin (approximately 10–25%), which are building blocks of the plant cell wall (Anwar et al, 2014; Loqué et al, 2015). All three components exist as polymers in plant cell walls and are associated with each other, resulting in a complex architecture. This complexity interferes degradation of cell-wall constituents by enzymatic and physicochemical approaches. An important task for expanding the use of lignocellulosic biomass is the invention of new plants with an ideal cell wall that keeps its stiffness as a timber but enables more efficient isolation of cell wall materials
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