Suppression of Chorismate Mutase 1 in Hybrid Poplar to Investigate Potential Redundancy in the Supply of Lignin Precursors.

ABSTRACT: Chorismate is an important branchpoint metabolite in the biosynthesis of lignin and a wide array of metabolites in plants. Chorismate mutase (CM), the enzyme responsible for transforming chorismate into prephenate, is a key regulator of metabolic flux towards the synthesis of aromatic amino acids and onwards to lignin. We examined three CM genes in hybrid poplar (Populus alba × grandidentata; P39, abbreviated as Pa×g) and used RNA interference (RNAi) to suppress the expression of Pa×gCM1, the most highly expressed isoform found in xylem tissue. Although this strategy was successful in disrupting Pa×gCM1 transcripts, there was also an unanticipated increase in lignin content, a shift towards guaiacyl lignin units, and more xylem vessels with smaller

SUBMITTER: Mottiar Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11897905 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature