Brown-midrib maize (bm1) - a mutation affecting the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene

A nonsense mutation in a cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene is responsible for the Sorghum brown midrib6 phenotype.

Brown midrib6 (bmr6) affects phenylpropanoid metabolism, resulting in reduced lignin concentrations and altered lignin composition in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Recently, bmr6 plants were shown to have limited cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity (CAD; EC 1.1.1.195), the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of hydroxycinnamoyl aldehydes (monolignals) to monolignols. A candidate gene approach...

A Nonsense Mutation in a Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase Gene Is Responsible for the Sorghum brown midrib6 Phenotype1[W][OA]

A sequence mutation in the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene associated with altered lignification in loblolly pine.

Evidence for the molecular basis of a null allele of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) has been discovered in the loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) clone 7-56. The mutation is a two-base pair adenosine insertion located in exon 5 that causes a frame-shift which is predicted to result in premature termination of the protein. For routine detection of the mutation, a diagnostic assay was developed...

Brown midrib mutations and their importance to the utilization of maize, sorghum, and pearl millet lignocellulosic tissues

Brown midrib mutants have been isolated in maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) arising by either spontaneous or chemical mutagenesis. The characteristic brown coloration of the leaf mid veins is associated with reduced lignin content and altered lignin composition, traits useful to improve forage digestibility for livestock. Brown midrib phenotype i...

A gene encoding a cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase homolog in Arabidopsis thaliana.

CAD (EC 1.1.1.195) catalyzes the reduction of cinnamyl aldehydes to produce p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohols, which constitute the precursors for lignin biosynthesis. Antisense inhibition of CAD activity in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) resulted in altered lignin composition, demonstrating that the enzyme is a useful target for manipulation of lignification (Halpin et al., 1994). CAD a...