Cell walls are comprised of networks of entangled polymers that differ considerably between species, tissues and developmental stages. The cell walls of grasses, a family that encompasses major crops, contain specific polysaccharide structures such as xylans substituted with feruloylated arabinose residues. Ferulic acid is involved in the grass cell wall assembly by mediating linkages between x...

Borate ester cross-linking of the cell wall pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) is required for the growth and development of angiosperms and gymnosperms. Here, we report that the amounts of borate cross-linked RG-II present in the sporophyte primary walls of members of the most primitive extant vascular plant groups (Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Equisetopsida, and Psilopsida) are co...

Plant UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGT) transfer sugars to small acceptor molecules and thereby play key roles in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, including phenylpropanoids. Some those metabolites are involved xylem lignification a broad range terrestrial plants, particularly trees. Here, we focused on poplar UGT72B37, coding for an enzyme glycosylating monolignols by investigating CRIS...

Pectins are a group of plant polysaccharides whose principal component is 1,4-linked a-d-galactosyluronic acid (O’Neill et al., 1990). Pectins are present in the primary cell walls of all seed-bearing plants and in the junction between cells called the middle lamella. The primary wall surrounds growing plant cells, meristematic cells and cells in succulent tissue such as fruit. The secondary wa...

Citrus scab disease is one of the destructive diseases that reduce the value of fruit for the fresh market. We analyzed the process of symptom development after infection with scab pathogen Elsinoë fawcettii in the susceptible satsuma mandarin leaves to observe the structural modification against pathogen. The cuticle and epidermal cells along with 3-5 layers of mesophyll tissue were degraded 1...

Dye perfusion is commonly used for the identification of conductive elements important for the study of xylem development as well as precise hydraulic estimations. The tiny size of inflorescence stems, the small amount of vessels in close arrangement, and high hydraulic resistivity delimit the use of the method for quantification of the water conductivity of Arabidopsis thaliana, one of the rec...

We assessed the e†ect of ferulate substitution and diferulate crosslinking of xylans on the degradation of cell walls by two fungal enzyme mixtures, one of which contained feruloyl esterase and high xylanase activities. NonligniÐed cell suspensions of maize (Zea mays) were grown with 0 or 40 lM 2aminoindan-2-phosphonic acid to produce walls with normal (17É2 mg g~1) or reduced (5É1 mg g~1) feru...

The lignification process in poplar tension wood lignified cell wall layers, specifically the S(1) and S(2) layers and the compound middle lamella (CML), was analysed using ultraviolet (UV) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Variations in the thickness of the gelatinous layer (G-layer) were also measured to clarify whether the lignified cell wall layers had completed their lignificatio...

Lignin is a key structural component of plant cell walls that provides rigidity, strength, and resistance against microbial attacks. This hydrophobic polymer also serves a crucial role in water transport. Despite its abundance and essential functions, several aspects of lignin biosynthesis and deposition remain cryptic. Lignin precursors are known to be synthesized in the cytoplasm by complex b...