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John Ralph

Publications and source records attributed to John Ralph.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Lignins and ferulate-coniferyl alcohol cross-coupling products in cereal grains.

Plant cell walls containing suberin or lignin in the human diet are conjectured to protect against colon cancer. To confirm the existence of authentic lignin in cereal grain dietary fibers, the DFRC (derivatization followed by reductive cleavage) method was applied to different cereal grain dietary fibers. By cleavage of diagnostic arylglycerol-beta-aryl (beta-O-4) ether linkages and identification of the liberated monolignols, it was ascertained that lignins are truly present in cereal grains. From the ratios of the liberated monolignols coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol, it is suggested that lignin compositions vary among cereals. Furthermore, dimeric cross-coupling products, comprising ferulate and coniferyl alcohol, were identified in most cereal fibers investigated. These ferulate 4-O-beta- and 8-beta-coniferyl alcohol cross-coupled structures indicate radical cross-coupling of polysaccharides to lignin precursors via ferulate.

Coumaric Acids↗
PubMed2004

Molecular phenotyping of the pal1 and pal2 mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana reveals far-reaching consequences on phenylpropanoid, amino acid, and carbohydrate metabolism.

The first enzyme of the phenylpropanoid pathway, Phe ammonia-lyase (PAL), is encoded by four genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Whereas PAL function is well established in various plants, an insight into the functional significance of individual gene family members is lacking. We show that in the absence of clear phenotypic alterations in the Arabidopsis pal1 and pal2 single mutants and with limited phenotypic alterations in the pal1 pal2 double mutant, significant modifications occur in the transcriptome and metabolome of the pal mutants. The disruption of PAL led to transcriptomic adaptation of components of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, revealing complex interactions at the level of gene expression between these pathways. Corresponding biochemical changes included a decrease in the three major flavonol glycosides, glycosylated vanillic acid, scopolin, and two novel feruloyl malates coupled to coniferyl alcohol. Moreover, Phe overaccumulated in the double mutant, and the levels of many other amino acids were significantly imbalanced. The lignin content was significantly reduced, and the syringyl/guaiacyl ratio of lignin monomers had increased. Together, from the molecular phenotype, common and specific functions of PAL1 and PAL2 are delineated, and PAL1 is qualified as being more important for the generation of phenylpropanoids.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed2004

Cryoprobe 3D NMR of acetylated ball-milled pine cell walls.

3D NMR of solubilized ball-milled pine cell walls reveals striking details of lignin units, right down to differentiating stereoisomers in the polymer. Such 3D spectral editing therefore overcomes the need to isolate wall components to study their structures.

Acetylation↗
PubMed2004

The gel-forming polysaccharide of psyllium husk (Plantago ovata Forsk).

The physiologically active, gel-forming fraction of the alkali-extractable polysaccharides of Plantago ovata Forsk seed husk (psyllium seed) and some derived partial hydrolysis products were studied by compositional and methylation analysis and NMR spectroscopy. Resolving the conflicting claims of previous investigators, the material was found to be a neutral arabinoxylan (arabinose 22.6%, xylose 74.6%, molar basis; only traces of other sugars). With about 35% of nonreducing terminal residues, the polysaccharide is highly branched. The data are compatible with a structure consisting of a densely substituted main chain of beta-(1-->4)-linked D-xylopyranosyl residues, some carrying single xylopyranosyl side chains at position 2, others bearing, at position 3, trisaccharide branches having the sequence L-Araf-alpha-(1-->3)-D-Xylp-beta-(1-->3)-l-Araf. The presence of this sequence is supported by methylation and NMR data, and by the isolation of the disaccharide 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-L-arabinose as a product of partial acid hydrolysis of the polysaccharide.

Arabinose↗
PubMed2004

Genetic and molecular basis of grass cell-wall degradability. I. Lignin-cell wall matrix interactions.

Lignification limits grass cell-wall digestion by herbivores. Lignification is spatially and temporally regulated, and lignin characteristics differ between cell walls, plant tissues, and plant parts. Grass lignins are anchored within walls by ferulate and diferulate cross-links, p-coumarate cyclodimers, and possibly benzyl ester and ether cross-links. Cell-wall degradability is regulated by lignin concentration, cross-linking, and hydrophobicity but not directly by most variations in lignin composition or structure. Genetic manipulation of lignification can improve grass cell-wall degradability, but the degree of success will depend on genetic background, plant modification techniques employed, and analytical methods used to characterize cell walls.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2004

Genetic and molecular basis of grass cell-wall biosynthesis and degradability. III. Towards a forage grass ideotype.

Lignification of cell walls is the major factor controlling the digestibility of forage grasses. Thus far, from QTL analysis, about 15 locations involved in cell-wall lignification or digestibility have been identified in the maize genome, many of which colocalise with QTLs involved in corn borer susceptibility. Genetic diversity for enhancing cell-wall digestibility in maize must be identified in novel germplasm, but genetic engineering is also a relevant way both to design specific cell-wall characteristics for improved digestibility and to identify genes involved in these traits for further discovery of alleles of interest in grass germplasm.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2004

Signatures of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase deficiency in poplar lignins.

A series of transgenic poplars down-regulated for cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) was analyzed by thioacidolysis. Among the lignin-derived monomers, the indene compounds that were recently shown to originate from sinapaldehyde incorporated into lignins through 8-O-4-cross-coupling, were found to increase as a function of CAD deficiency level. While these syringyl markers were recovered in substantial amounts in the most severely depressed lines, the markers for coniferaldehyde incorporation were recovered in only low amounts. In conjunction with these additional sinapaldehyde units and relative to the control samples, lignins in CAD-deficient poplar lines had less conventional syringyl-units and beta-O-4-bonds and more free phenolic groups. We found that almost half of the polymers in the most deficient lines could be solubilized in alkali and at room temperature. This unusual behavior suggests that lignins in CAD-deficient poplars occur as small, alkali-leachable lignin domains. That mainly sinapaldehyde incorporates into the lignins of CAD-deficient poplars suggests that the recently identified sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase (SAD), which is structurally distinct from the CAD enzyme targeted herein, does not play any substantial role in constitutive lignification in poplar.

Acrolein↗
PubMed2004

Structural characterization of lignin during Pinus taeda wood treatment with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora.

Pinus taeda wood chips were biotreated with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora under solid-state fermentation for periods varying from 15 to 90 days. Milled wood lignins extracted from sound and biotreated wood samples were characterized by wet-chemical and spectroscopic techniques. Treatment of the lignins by derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC) made it possible to detect DFRC monomers and dimers that are diagnostic of the occurrence of arylglycerol-beta-O-aryl and beta-beta, beta-5, beta-1, and 4-O-5 units in the lignin structure. Quantification of these DFRC products indicated that beta-O-aryl cleavage was a significant route for lignin biodegradation but that beta-beta, beta-5, beta-1, and 4-O-5 linkages were more resistant to the biological attack. The amount of aromatic hydroxyls did not increase with the split of beta-O-4 linkages, suggesting that the beta-O-4 cleavage products remain as quinone-type structures as detected by UV and visible spectroscopy. Nuclear magnetic resonance techniques also indicated the formation of new substructures containing nonoxygenated, saturated aliphatic carbons (CH(2) and CH(3)) in the side chains of lignins extracted from biotreated wood samples.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2003

Bacterial antimutagenesis by hydroxycinnamic acids from plant cell walls.

We have determined the abilities of (E)-ferulic acid, (E)-p-coumaric acid and (E,E)-5-5-dehydrodiferulic acid to protect against different types of mutation in a simple bacterial model. These antimutagenic properties were compared with those of the related compound curcumin, and also with those of an extract containing hydroxycinnamic acids obtained by the saponification of the cell walls of wheat coleoptiles. Three known mutagens, bleomycin, hydrogen peroxide and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) were used to chemically induce reversion mutation, while the known antimutagen Trolox was used as a positive control. Both the pure hydroxycinnamic acids and the extract from the cell walls showed antimutagenic properties. It is known that hydroxycinnamic acids ester-linked to plant cell walls can be released in the human colon by the action of microbial esterases. Providing the current data extrapolate to mammalian cells, they suggest that antimutagenic properties of hydroxycinnamic acids released from plant cell walls could play a role in dietary fibre protection against cancer.

Antimutagenic Agents↗
PubMed2003

Apoplastic pH and monolignol addition rate effects on lignin formation and cell wall degradability in maize.

Monolignol polymerization rate and apoplastic pH and may influence the formation of lignin and its interactions in cell walls. Primary maize walls were artificially lignified by gradual "end-wise" or rapid "bulk" polymerization of coniferyl alcohol at pH 4 or 5.5. Lignification efficiency was greatest for end-wise polymers at pH 5.5 (90-98%), intermediate for bulk polymers formed at either pH (54-82%), and lowest for end-wise polymers at pH 4 (41-53%). End-wise polymers had about 2.2-fold more ether inter-unit linkages and 70% fewer end-groups than bulk polymers. Low pH enhanced the formation of ether linkages in end-wise but not in bulk polymers. Differences in lignin structure did not influence the enzymatic degradability of cell walls, but lowering apoplastic pH from 5.5 to 4.0 during lignification reduced cell wall degradability by 25%. Further studies indicated this pH-dependent depression in degradability was related to cell wall cross-links formed via lignin quinone methide intermediates.

Cell Wall↗
PubMed2003

Combinatorial modification of multiple lignin traits in trees through multigene cotransformation.

Lignin quantity and reactivity [which is associated with its syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) constituent ratio] are two major barriers to wood-pulp production. To verify our contention that these traits are regulated by distinct monolignol biosynthesis genes, encoding 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL) and coniferaldehyde 5-hydroxylase (CAld5H), we used Agrobacterium to cotransfer antisense 4CL and sense CAld5H genes into aspen (Populus tremuloides). Trees expressing each one and both of the transgenes were produced with high efficiency. Lignin reduction by as much as 40% with 14% cellulose augmentation was achieved in antisense 4CL plants; S/G-ratio increases as much as 3-fold were observed without lignin quantity change in sense CAld5H plants. Consistent with our contention, these effects were independent but additive, with plants expressing both transgenes having up to 52% less lignin, a 64% higher S/G ratio, and 30% more cellulose. An S/G-ratio increase also accelerated cell maturation in stem secondary xylem, pointing to a role for syringyl lignin moieties in coordinating xylem secondary wall biosynthesis. The results suggest that this multigene cotransfer system should be broadly useful for plant genetic engineering and functional genomics.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Sinapate dehydrodimers and sinapate-ferulate heterodimers in cereal dietary fiber.

Two 8-8-coupled sinapic acid dehydrodimers and at least three sinapate-ferulate heterodimers have been identified as saponification products from different insoluble and soluble cereal grain dietary fibers. The two 8-8-disinapates were authenticated by comparison of their GC retention times and mass spectra with authentic dehydrodimers synthesized from methyl or ethyl sinapate using two different single-electron metal oxidant systems. The highest amounts (481 microg/g) were found in wild rice insoluble dietary fiber. Model reactions showed that it is unlikely that the dehydrodisinapates detected are artifacts formed from free sinapic acid during the saponification procedure. The dehydrodisinapates presumably derive from radical coupling of sinapate-polymer esters in the cell wall; the radical coupling origin is further confirmed by finding 8-8 and 8-5 (and possibly 8-O-4) sinapate-ferulate cross-products. Sinapates therefore appear to have an analogous role to ferulates in cross-linking polysaccharides in cereal grains and presumably grass cell walls in general.

Coumaric Acids↗
PubMed2003

Variations in the cell wall composition of maize brown midrib mutants.

Most studies published thus far on the four brown midrib (bm) mutants (bm1, bm2, bm3, and bm4) in maize (Zea mays L.) have focused on one or two individual mutants, and comparisons between studies have been difficult because of variation in genetic backgrounds, maturity, and source of tissue. Detailed analyses of the stalks of the four bm single mutants and a bm1-bm2 double mutant in a common genetic background (inbred A619) revealed structural and compositional changes in their isolated cell walls and lignins compared to the wild-type inbred. 2D-NMR revealed a significant presence of benzodioxane units in the bm3 isolated lignin. 1D (13)C NMR revealed increased aldehyde levels in the bm1 and bm1-bm2 mutants compared to the wild-type inbred. The bm3 and bm1-bm2 mutants contained less Klason lignin in the isolated cell walls. The bm1, bm3, and bm1-bm2 mutants contained approximately 50% less esterified p-coumaric acid with noticeably elevated levels of ferulate in the bm3 mutant. A difference among bm mutants in the solubility of p-coumaric acid-lignin complexes during cellulase enzyme treatment was also discovered, suggesting that the bm mutations might also differ in the structural organization of lignin.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed2003

NMR analysis of lignins in CAD-deficient plants. Part 1. Incorporation of hydroxycinnamaldehydes and hydroxybenzaldehydes into lignins.

Peroxidase/H2O2-mediated radical coupling of 4-hydroxycinnamaldehydes produces 8-O-4-, 8-5-, and 8-8-coupled dehydrodimers as has been documented earlier, as well as the 5-5-coupled dehydrodimer. The 8-5-dehydrodimer is however produced kinetically in its cyclic phenylcoumaran form at neutral pH. Synthetic polymers produced from mixtures of hydroxycinnamaldehydes and normal monolignols provide the next level of complexity. Spectral data from dimers, oligomers, and synthetic polymers have allowed a more substantive assignment of aldehyde components in lignins isolated from a CAD-deficient pine mutant and an antisense-CAD-downregulated transgenic tobacco. CAD-deficient pine lignin shows enhanced levels of the typical benzaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde end-groups, along with evidence for two types of 8-O-4-coupled coniferaldehyde units. The CAD-downregulated tobacco also has higher levels of hydroxycinnamaldehyde and hydroxybenzaldehyde (mainly syringaldehyde) incorporation, but the analogous two types of 8-O-4-coupled products are the dominant features. 8-8-Coupled units are also clearly evident. There is clear evidence for coupling of hydroxycinnamaldehydes to each other and then incorporation into the lignin, as well as for the incorporation of hydroxycinnamaldehyde monomers into the growing lignin polymer. Coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde (as well as vanillin and syringaldehyde) co-polymerize with the traditional monolignols into lignins and do so at enhanced levels when CAD-deficiency has an impact on the normal monolignol production. The implication is that, particularly in angiosperms, the aldehydes behave like the traditional monolignols and should probably be regarded as authentic lignin monomers in normal and CAD-deficient plants.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed2003

Structural and compositional modifications in lignin of transgenic alfalfa down-regulated in caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase and caffeoyl coenzyme A 3-O-methyltransferase.

Isolated lignins from alfalfa deficient in caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase contained benzodioxanes resulting from the incorporation of the novel monomer, 5-hydroxyconiferyl alcohol. Due to the high level incorporated into the soluble lignin fraction and the use of sensitive NMR instrumentation, unique structural features were revealed. A new type of end-unit, the 5-hydroxyguaiacyl glycerol unit, was identified. It was possible to establish that coniferyl alcohol, sinapyl alcohol, and the novel 5-hydroxyconiferyl alcohol can cross-couple with the 5-hydroxyguaiacyl units that are formed in the lignin, the latter giving rise to extended chains of benzodioxane units. There is also evidence that 5-hydroxyconiferyl alcohol couples with normal (guaiacyl or syringyl) lignin units. Lignin in the alfalfa deficient in caffeoyl CoA 3-O-methyltransferase was structurally similar to the control lignin but the transgenic exhibited a dramatic decrease in lignin content (approximately 20%) and modest increase in cellulose (approximately 10%) reflecting a 30% increase in cellulose:lignin ratio. The compositional changes in both transgenics potentially allow enhanced utilization of alfalfa as a major forage crop by increasing the digestibility of its stem fraction.

Down-Regulation↗
PubMed2003

A new Arabidopsis thaliana mutant deficient in the expression of O-methyltransferase impacts lignins and sinapoyl esters.

A promoter-trap screen allowed us to identify an Arabidopsis line expressing GUS in the root vascular tissues. T-DNA border sequencing showed that the line was mutated in the caffeic acid O-methyltransferase 1 gene (AtOMT1) and therefore deficient in OMT1 activity. Atomt1 is a knockout mutant and the expression profile of the AtOMT1 gene has been determined as well as the consequences of the mutation on lignins, on soluble phenolics, on cell wall digestibility, and on the expression of the genes involved in monolignol biosynthesis. In this mutant and relative to the wild type, lignins lack syringyl (S) units and contain more 5-hydroxyguaiacyl units (5-OH-G), the precursors of S-units. The sinapoyl ester pool is modified with a two-fold reduction of sinapoyl-malate in the leaves and stems of mature plants as well as in seedlings. In addition, LC-MS analysis of the soluble phenolics extracted from the seedlings reveals the occurrence of unusual derivatives assigned to 5-OH-feruloyl malate and to 5-OH-feruloyl glucose. Therefore, AtOMT1 enzymatic activity appears to be involved not only in lignin formation but also in the biosynthesis of sinapate esters. In addition, a deregulation of other monolignol biosynthetic gene expression can be observed in the Atomt1 mutant. A poplar cDNA encoding a caffeic acid OMT (PtOMT1) was successfully used to complement the Atomt1 mutant and restored both the level of S units and of sinapate esters to the control level. However, the over-expression of PtOMT1 in wild-type Arabidopsis did not increase the S-lignin content, suggesting that OMT is not a limiting enzyme for S-unit biosynthesis.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed2003

Non-degradative dissolution and acetylation of ball-milled plant cell walls: high-resolution solution-state NMR.

Two solvent systems for fully dissolving, and optionally derivatizing, finely ground plant cell wall material at room temperature are described: dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) or N-methylimidazole (NMI). In situ acetylation produces acetylated cell walls (Ac-CWs) that are fully soluble in chloroform. Lignin structures tested remain fully intact. The dispersion of 13C-1H correlations afforded by two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments reveals the major lignin units, allowing the whole lignin fraction to be analyzed by high-resolution solution-state NMR methods for the first time. Non-degradative cell wall dissolution offers the potential to analyze polysaccharide components, and improve current cell wall analytical methods by using standard homogeneous solution-state chemistry.

Acetylation↗