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Zhu Y, Li L. Wood of trees: Cellular structure, molecular formation, and genetic engineering. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 66:443-467. [PMID: 38032010 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Wood is an invaluable asset to human society due to its renewable nature, making it suitable for both sustainable energy production and material manufacturing. Additionally, wood derived from forest trees plays a crucial role in sequestering a significant portion of the carbon dioxide fixed during photosynthesis by terrestrial plants. Nevertheless, with the expansion of the global population and ongoing industrialization, forest coverage has been substantially decreased, resulting in significant challenges for wood production and supply. Wood production practices have changed away from natural forests toward plantation forests. Thus, understanding the underlying genetic mechanisms of wood formation is the foundation for developing high-quality, fast-growing plantation trees. Breeding ideal forest trees for wood production using genetic technologies has attracted the interest of many. Tremendous studies have been carried out in recent years on the molecular, genetic, and cell-biological mechanisms of wood formation, and considerable progress and findings have been achieved. These studies and findings indicate enormous possibilities and prospects for tree improvement. This review will outline and assess the cellular and molecular mechanisms of wood formation, as well as studies on genetically improving forest trees, and address future development prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems and College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Laigeng Li
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
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2
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Zhang J, Wang X, Wang HT, Qiao Z, Yao T, Xie M, Urbanowicz BR, Zeng W, Jawdy SS, Gunter LE, Yang X, Czarnecki O, Regan S, Seguin A, Rottmann W, Winkeler KA, Sykes R, Lipzen A, Daum C, Barry K, Lu MZ, Tuskan GA, Muchero W, Chen JG. Overexpression of REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION C increases xylan acetylation and biomass recalcitrance in Populus. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 194:243-257. [PMID: 37399189 PMCID: PMC10762510 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Plant lignocellulosic biomass, i.e. secondary cell walls of plants, is a vital alternative source for bioenergy. However, the acetylation of xylan in secondary cell walls impedes the conversion of biomass to biofuels. Previous studies have shown that REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION (RWA) proteins are directly involved in the acetylation of xylan but the regulatory mechanism of RWAs is not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate that overexpression of a Populus trichocarpa PtRWA-C gene increases the level of xylan acetylation and increases the lignin content and S/G ratio, ultimately yielding poplar woody biomass with reduced saccharification efficiency. Furthermore, through gene coexpression network and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis, we found that PtRWA-C was regulated not only by the secondary cell wall hierarchical regulatory network but also by an AP2 family transcription factor HARDY (HRD). Specifically, HRD activates PtRWA-C expression by directly binding to the PtRWA-C promoter, which is also the cis-eQTL for PtRWA-C. Taken together, our findings provide insights into the functional roles of PtRWA-C in xylan acetylation and consequently saccharification and shed light on synthetic biology approaches to manipulate this gene and alter cell wall properties. These findings have substantial implications for genetic engineering of woody species, which could be used as a sustainable source of biofuels, valuable biochemicals, and biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Xiaqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
| | - Hsin-Tzu Wang
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Zhenzhen Qiao
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Tao Yao
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Meng Xie
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Breeanna R Urbanowicz
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Wei Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
| | - Sara S Jawdy
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Lee E Gunter
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Xiaohan Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Olaf Czarnecki
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Sharon Regan
- Biology Department, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Armand Seguin
- Laurentian Forestry Center, Natural Resources Canada, Québec, Quebec G1V 4C7, Canada
| | | | | | - Robert Sykes
- Bioenergy Science and Technology, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Anna Lipzen
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Chris Daum
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kerrie Barry
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Meng-Zhu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
| | - Gerald A Tuskan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Wellington Muchero
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Jin-Gui Chen
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
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Urbancsok J, Donev EN, Sivan P, van Zalen E, Barbut FR, Derba-Maceluch M, Šimura J, Yassin Z, Gandla ML, Karady M, Ljung K, Winestrand S, Jönsson LJ, Scheepers G, Delhomme N, Street NR, Mellerowicz EJ. Flexure wood formation via growth reprogramming in hybrid aspen involves jasmonates and polyamines and transcriptional changes resembling tension wood development. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:2312-2334. [PMID: 37857351 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Stem bending in trees induces flexure wood but its properties and development are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of low-intensity multidirectional stem flexing on growth and wood properties of hybrid aspen, and on its transcriptomic and hormonal responses. Glasshouse-grown trees were either kept stationary or subjected to several daily shakes for 5 wk, after which the transcriptomes and hormones were analyzed in the cambial region and developing wood tissues, and the wood properties were analyzed by physical, chemical and microscopy techniques. Shaking increased primary and secondary growth and altered wood differentiation by stimulating gelatinous-fiber formation, reducing secondary wall thickness, changing matrix polysaccharides and increasing cellulose, G- and H-lignin contents, cell wall porosity and saccharification yields. Wood-forming tissues exhibited elevated jasmonate, polyamine, ethylene and brassinosteroids and reduced abscisic acid and gibberellin signaling. Transcriptional responses resembled those during tension wood formation but not opposite wood formation and revealed several thigmomorphogenesis-related genes as well as novel gene networks including FLA and XTH genes encoding plasma membrane-bound proteins. Low-intensity stem flexing stimulates growth and induces wood having improved biorefinery properties through molecular and hormonal pathways similar to thigmomorphogenesis in herbaceous plants and largely overlapping with the tension wood program of hardwoods.
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Affiliation(s)
- János Urbancsok
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Evgeniy N Donev
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pramod Sivan
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Elena van Zalen
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Félix R Barbut
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marta Derba-Maceluch
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jan Šimura
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Zakiya Yassin
- RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Drottning Kristinas väg 61, 11428, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Michal Karady
- Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Science of Palacký University, 78371, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Karin Ljung
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Leif J Jönsson
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Gerhard Scheepers
- RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Drottning Kristinas väg 61, 11428, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nicolas Delhomme
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nathaniel R Street
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
- SciLifeLab, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ewa J Mellerowicz
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC), Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
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Derba-Maceluch M, Sivan P, Donev EN, Gandla ML, Yassin Z, Vaasan R, Heinonen E, Andersson S, Amini F, Scheepers G, Johansson U, Vilaplana FJ, Albrectsen BR, Hertzberg M, Jönsson LJ, Mellerowicz EJ. Impact of xylan on field productivity and wood saccharification properties in aspen. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1218302. [PMID: 37528966 PMCID: PMC10389764 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1218302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Xylan that comprises roughly 25% of hardwood biomass is undesirable in biorefinery applications involving saccharification and fermentation. Efforts to reduce xylan levels have therefore been made in many species, usually resulting in improved saccharification. However, such modified plants have not yet been tested under field conditions. Here we evaluate the field performance of transgenic hybrid aspen lines with reduced xylan levels and assess their usefulness as short-rotation feedstocks for biorefineries. Three types of transgenic lines were tested in four-year field tests with RNAi constructs targeting either Populus GT43 clades B and C (GT43BC) corresponding to Arabidopsis clades IRX9 and IRX14, respectively, involved in xylan backbone biosynthesis, GATL1.1 corresponding to AtGALT1 involved in xylan reducing end sequence biosynthesis, or ASPR1 encoding an atypical aspartate protease. Their productivity, wood quality traits, and saccharification efficiency were analyzed. The only lines differing significantly from the wild type with respect to growth and biotic stress resistance were the ASPR1 lines, whose stems were roughly 10% shorter and narrower and leaves showed increased arthropod damage. GT43BC lines exhibited no growth advantage in the field despite their superior growth in greenhouse experiments. Wood from the ASPR1 and GT43BC lines had slightly reduced density due to thinner cell walls and, in the case of ASPR1, larger cell diameters. The xylan was less extractable by alkali but more hydrolysable by acid, had increased glucuronosylation, and its content was reduced in all three types of transgenic lines. The hemicellulose size distribution in the GALT1.1 and ASPR1 lines was skewed towards higher molecular mass compared to the wild type. These results provide experimental evidence that GATL1.1 functions in xylan biosynthesis and suggest that ASPR1 may regulate this process. In saccharification without pretreatment, lines of all three constructs provided 8-11% higher average glucose yields than wild-type plants. In saccharification with acid pretreatment, the GT43BC construct provided a 10% yield increase on average. The best transgenic lines of each construct are thus predicted to modestly outperform the wild type in terms of glucose yields per hectare. The field evaluation of transgenic xylan-reduced aspen represents an important step towards more productive feedstocks for biorefineries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Derba-Maceluch
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pramod Sivan
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Evgeniy N. Donev
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Zakiya Yassin
- Enhet Produktionssystem och Material, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Växjö, Sweden
| | - Rakhesh Vaasan
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emilia Heinonen
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Centre (WWSC), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sanna Andersson
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fariba Amini
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, Umea, Sweden
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Arak University, Arak, Iran
| | - Gerhard Scheepers
- Enhet Produktionssystem och Material, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Växjö, Sweden
| | - Ulf Johansson
- Tönnersjöheden Experimental Forest, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Simlångsdalen, Sweden
| | - Francisco J. Vilaplana
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Centre (WWSC), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Ewa J. Mellerowicz
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
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Donev EN, Derba‐Maceluch M, Yassin Z, Gandla ML, Pramod S, Heinonen E, Kumar V, Scheepers G, Vilaplana F, Johansson U, Hertzberg M, Sundberg B, Winestrand S, Hörnberg A, Alriksson B, Jönsson LJ, Mellerowicz EJ. Field testing of transgenic aspen from large greenhouse screening identifies unexpected winners. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 21:1005-1021. [PMID: 36668687 PMCID: PMC10106850 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Trees constitute promising renewable feedstocks for biorefinery using biochemical conversion, but their recalcitrance restricts their attractiveness for the industry. To obtain trees with reduced recalcitrance, large-scale genetic engineering experiments were performed in hybrid aspen blindly targeting genes expressed during wood formation and 32 lines representing seven constructs were selected for characterization in the field. Here we report phenotypes of five-year old trees considering 49 traits related to growth and wood properties. The best performing construct considering growth and glucose yield in saccharification with acid pretreatment had suppressed expression of the gene encoding an uncharacterized 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (2OGD). It showed minor changes in wood chemistry but increased nanoporosity and glucose conversion. Suppressed levels of SUCROSE SYNTHASE, (SuSy), CINNAMATE 4-HYDROXYLASE (C4H) and increased levels of GTPase activating protein for ADP-ribosylation factor ZAC led to significant growth reductions and anatomical abnormalities. However, C4H and SuSy constructs greatly improved glucose yields in saccharification without and with pretreatment, respectively. Traits associated with high glucose yields were different for saccharification with and without pretreatment. While carbohydrates, phenolics and tension wood contents positively impacted the yields without pretreatment and growth, lignin content and S/G ratio were negative factors, the yields with pretreatment positively correlated with S lignin and negatively with carbohydrate contents. The genotypes with high glucose yields had increased nanoporosity and mGlcA/Xyl ratio, and some had shorter polymers extractable with subcritical water compared to wild-type. The pilot-scale industrial-like pretreatment of best-performing 2OGD construct confirmed its superior sugar yields, supporting our strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniy N. Donev
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Marta Derba‐Maceluch
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Zakiya Yassin
- Enhet Produktionssystem och MaterialRISE Research Institutes of SwedenVäxjöSweden
| | | | - Sivan Pramod
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University CentreStockholmSweden
| | - Emilia Heinonen
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University CentreStockholmSweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Centre (WWSC)KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - Vikash Kumar
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | - Gerhard Scheepers
- Enhet Produktionssystem och MaterialRISE Research Institutes of SwedenVäxjöSweden
| | - Francisco Vilaplana
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of ChemistryKTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University CentreStockholmSweden
- Wallenberg Wood Science Centre (WWSC)KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
| | - Ulf Johansson
- Tönnersjöheden Experimental ForestSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesSimlångsdalenSweden
| | | | - Björn Sundberg
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Ewa J. Mellerowicz
- Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Umeå Plant Science CentreSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUmeåSweden
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