Phenylpropanoids are a group of plant secondary metabolites derived from phenylalanine and having a wide variety of functions both as structural and signaling molecules. Phenylalanine is first converted to cinnamic acid by deamination. It is followed by hydroxylation and frequent methylation to generate coumaric acid and other acids with a phenylpropane (C6-C3) unit. Reduction of the CoA-activated carboxyl groups of these acids results in the corresponding aldehydes and alcohols. The alcohols are called monolignols, the starting compounds for biosynthesis of lignin.
Class
Metabolism; Biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites
Nair RB, Bastress KL, Ruegger MO, Denault JW, Chapple C.
Title
The Arabidopsis thaliana REDUCED EPIDERMAL FLUORESCENCE1 gene encodes an aldehyde dehydrogenase involved in ferulic acid and sinapic acid biosynthesis.
Costa MA, Collins RE, Anterola AM, Cochrane FC, Davin LB, Lewis NG.
Title
An in silico assessment of gene function and organization of the phenylpropanoid pathway metabolic networks in Arabidopsis thaliana and limitations thereof.
Meyermans H, Morreel K, Lapierre C, Pollet B, De Bruyn A, Busson R, Herdewijn P, Devreese B, Van Beeumen J, Marita JM, Ralph J, Chen C, Burggraeve B, Van Montagu M, Messens E, Boerjan W.
Title
Modifications in lignin and accumulation of phenolic glucosides in poplar xylem upon down-regulation of caffeoyl-coenzyme A O-methyltransferase, an enzyme involved in lignin biosynthesis.
Evidence for the biosynthetic pathway from sinapic acid to syringyl lignin using labeled sinapic acid with stable isotope at both methoxy groups in Robinia pseudoacacia and Nerium indicum.
Probing the mysteries of lignin biosynthesis: the crystal structure of caffeic acid/5-hydroxyferulic acid 3/5-O-methyltransferase provides new insights.
