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Research article2012Peer reviewedOpen access

Fructokinase is required for carbon partitioning to cellulose in aspen wood

Roach, Melissa; Gerber, Lorenz; Sandquist, David; Gorzsas, Andras; Hedenström, Mattias; Kumar, Manoj; Steinhauser, Marie Caroline; Feil, Regina; Stitt, Mark; Daniel, Geoffrey; Sundberg, Björn; Niittylä, Totte

Abstract

Sucrose is the main transported form of carbon in several plant species, including Populus species. Sucrose metabolism in developing wood has therefore a central role in carbon partitioning to stem biomass. Half of the sucrose-derived carbon is in the form of fructose, but metabolism of fructose has received little attention as a factor in carbon partitioning to walls of wood cells. We show that RNAi-mediated reduction of FRK2 activity in developing wood of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula X tremuloides) led to the accumulation of soluble neutral sugars and a decrease in hexose phosphates and UDP-glucose, indicating that carbon flux to cell-wall polysaccharide precursors is decreased. Reduced FRK2 activity also led to thinner fiber cell walls with a reduction in the proportion of cellulose. No pleiotropic effects on stem height or diameter were observed. The results establish a central role for FRK2 activity in carbon flux to wood cellulose.

Keywords

aspen; sucrose; fructose; fructokinase; cellulose; cell wall; carbon partitioning; Populus

Published in

Plant Journal
2012, Volume: 70, number: 6, pages: 967-977
Publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL