Changes in cinnamic acid derivatives associated with the habituation of maize cells to dichlobenil

Hugo Mélida*, Álvarez Jesús Álvarez, José Luis Acebes, Antonio Encina, Stephen C. Fry

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

The habituation of cell cultures to cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors such as dichlobenil (DCB) represents a valuable tool to improve our knowledge of the mechanisms involved in plant cell wall structural plasticity. Maize cell lines habituated to lethal concentrations of DCB were able to grow through the acquisition of a modified cell wall in which cellulose was partially replaced by a more extensive network of arabinoxylans. The aim of this work was to investigate the phenolic metabolism of non-habituated and DCB-habituated maize cell cultures. Maize cell cultures were fed [14C]cinnamate and the fate of the radioactivity in different intra-protoplasmic and wall-localized fractions throughout the culture cycle was analyzed by autoradiography and scintillation counting. Non-habituated and habituated cultures did not markedly differ in their ability to uptake exogenous [14C]cinnamic acid. However, interesting differences were found in the radiolabeling of low- and high-Mr metabolites. Habituated cultures displayed a higher number and amount of radiolabeled low-Mr compounds, which could act as reserves later used for polysaccharide feruloylation. DCB-habituated cultures were highly enriched in esterified [14C]dehydrodiferulates and larger coupling products. In conclusion, an extensive and early cross-linking of hydroxycinnamates was observed in DCB-habituated cultures, probably strengthening their cellulose-deficient walls.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)869-878
Number of pages10
JournalMolecular Plant
Volume4
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2011

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • cell wall
  • cinnamic acid
  • DCB
  • dehydrodiferulate
  • dichlobenil
  • ferulate
  • maize
  • zea mays

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