differential expression of two strongostrong-methyltransferases in lignin.pdfVIP

Plant Physiol. (1995) 108:459-467 Differential Expression of Two O-Methyltransferases in Lignin Biosynthesis in Zinnia elegans’ Zheng-Hua Ye and Joseph E. Varner* Department of Biology, Washington Uriiversity, St. Louis, Missouri 631 30 CCoAOMT are expressed in the same lignifying cell types. Caffeic acid 3-Omethyltransferase (CAOMT) and caffeoyl-coen- Further analysis of expression patterns of these two 0- zyme A 3-Omethyltransferase (CCoAOMT) are involved in differ- methyltransferases could provide useful information for ent methylation pathways in lignin biosynthesis. We previously the manipulation of lignin content by genetic engineering. showed that only the CCoAOMT was markedly induced during CAOMT enzymes have been reported from over 50 plant lignification in in vitro differentiating tracheary elements (TEs) of species (see reviews by Grisebach, 1981;Davin and Lewis, Zinnia elegans. To further examine the expression patterns of 1992).CAOMT cDNAs or genes have been isolated from a CAOMT in lignification, we isolated a cDNA clone for Zinnia CA- number of species (Bugos et al., 1991; Gowri et al., 1991; OMT. RNA gel blot analysis showed that the expression of the Collazo et al., 1992; Dumas et al., 1992;Jaeck et al., 1992; CAOMT gene did not correlate well with lignification during in vitro TE differentiation from Zinnia-isolated mesophyll cells. Tissue-print Pellegrini et al., 1993;Poeydomenge et al., 1994).In aspen hybridization showed that, in th