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Abstract

This study aims to complement previous studies on down-regulation of sucrose synthase and cinnamate 4-hydroxylase in hybrid aspen (Bjurhager et al. 2010; Gerber et al. 2014) with a quantitative anatomical comparison (Sandquist et al. 2015). The main focus was placed on evaluating quantitative modifications to fiber morphology and lignin composition. This was achieved by combining results from light-, electron-, and UV-microscopy together with histochemical staining. Overall there was good agreement between the morphological results in this study compared to the previously published chemical and physical reports, particularly on cinnamate 4-hydroxylase down-regulated aspen. The previously reported statistical correlations between fiber lumen area and plant diameter, and fiber length and tree height (Sandquist et al. 2015) have been further refined. Knock-down of genes coding for biologically important proteins such as sucrose synthase and cinnamate 4-hydroxylase had broad spanning morphological impacts. Down-regulated sucrose synthase genotype showed significantly reduced fiber development, possibly with altered S/G ratio. Down-regulated cinnamate 4-hydroxylase genotype showed an overall reduction of lignin in fibers as indicated from both chemical staining and UV-microscopy measurements. Down-regulated pectate lyase genotype showed no overall significant effects on fiber morphology, ultrastructural, nor lignin staining.

Keywords

Transgenic poplar; wood ultrastructure; cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (KR139); sucrose synthase (KR112); pectate lyase family protein (KR213); UV-microscopy; lignin staining; quantitative wood anatomy

Published in

Bioresources
2015, volume: 10, number: 3, pages: 5016-5029
Publisher: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV DEPT WOOD & PAPER SCI

SLU Authors

  • Sandquist, David

    • University of Hamburg

  • Daniel, Geoffrey

    • Department of Forest Products, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Wood Science
Forest Science

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.15376/biores.10.3.5016-5029

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/75570