Suppression of a single BAHD gene in Setaria viridis causes large, stable decreases in cell wall feruloylation and increases biomass digestibility

A - Papers appearing in refereed journals

De Souza, W. R., Martins, P. K., Freeman, J., Pellny, T. K., Michaelson, L. V., Sampaio, B. L., Vinecky, F., Ribeiro, A. P., Da Cunha, B. A. D. B., Kobayashi, A. K., De Oliveira, P. A., Campanha, R. B., Pacheco, T. F., Martarello, D. C. I., Marchiosi, R., Ferrarese-Filho, O., Dos Santos, W. D., Tramontina, R., Squina, F. M., Centeno, D. C., Gaspar, M., Braga, M. R., Tine, M. A. S., Ralph, J., Mitchell, R. A. C. and Molinari, H. B. C. 2018. Suppression of a single BAHD gene in Setaria viridis causes large, stable decreases in cell wall feruloylation and increases biomass digestibility. New Phytologist. 218 (1), pp. 81-93. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14970

AuthorsDe Souza, W. R., Martins, P. K., Freeman, J., Pellny, T. K., Michaelson, L. V., Sampaio, B. L., Vinecky, F., Ribeiro, A. P., Da Cunha, B. A. D. B., Kobayashi, A. K., De Oliveira, P. A., Campanha, R. B., Pacheco, T. F., Martarello, D. C. I., Marchiosi, R., Ferrarese-Filho, O., Dos Santos, W. D., Tramontina, R., Squina, F. M., Centeno, D. C., Gaspar, M., Braga, M. R., Tine, M. A. S., Ralph, J., Mitchell, R. A. C. and Molinari, H. B. C.
Abstract

Feruloylation of arabinoxylan (AX) in grass cell walls is a key determinant of recalcitrance to enzyme attack making it a target for improvement of grass crops, and of interest in grass evolution. Definitive evidence on the genes responsible is lacking so we studied a candidate gene that we identified within the BAHD acyl-CoA transferase family.
We used RNAi silencing of orthologs in the model grasses Setaria viridis (SvBAHD01) and Brachypodium distachyon (BdBAHD01) and determined effects on AX feruloylation.
Silencing of SvBAHD01 in Setaria resulted in ~60% decrease in AX feruloylation in stems consistently across four generations. Silencing of BdBAHD01 in Brachypodium stems decreased feruloylation by much smaller magnitude, possibly due to higher expression of functionally-redundant genes. Setaria SvBAHD01 RNAi plants showed: no decrease in total lignin, ~doubled arabinose acylated by p-coumarate, changes in 2D-NMR spectra of unfractionated cell walls consistent with biochemical estimates, no effect on total biomass production, and an increase in biomass saccharification efficiency of 40-60%.
We provide the first strong evidence for the key role of the BAHD01 gene in AX feruloylation and demonstrate that it is a promising target for improvement of grass crops for biofuel, biorefining, and animal nutrition applications.

Keywordscell wall acylation; ferulic acid; grass evolution; hydroxycinnamates; lignocellulosic feedstock
Year of Publication2018
JournalNew Phytologist
Journal citation218 (1), pp. 81-93
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14970
PubMed ID29315591
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
FunderBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Funder project or codeXylan arabinosyl transferases: identification and characterisation of their role in determining properties of grass cell walls
UK-Brazil partnership.
Screening for effects of genes on cell walls to improve digestibility for biofuel in Brazilian grasses
FAPESP 2016/07926-4
FC02-07ER64494
TPM - Tailoring Plant Metabolism - Work package 1 (WP1) - High value lipids for health and industry
Publisher's version
Copyright license
CC BY
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright license
CC BY
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online08 Jan 2018
Publication process dates
Accepted22 Nov 2017
PublisherWiley
ISSN0028-646X

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