Functional analysis of dirigent protein DP1 in sugarcane

• Grant number: 12/08540-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: August 05, 2012
• End date: April 04, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Mazzafera
• Grantee: Paula Macedo Nobile
• Supervisor: Norman G. Lewis
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Washington State University (WSU), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 10/08232-0 - Control of lignin biosynthesis in sugar cane: dirigent proteins gene family, BP.PD

Abstract

The dirigent proteins are responsible for the role of radical-radical stereo-selective coupling of monolignols, lignan/lignin precursors. Several transcripts with DP-like domains were identified in plants, but they were not functionally characterized. In the work attached to this propose, 39 DPs-like, previously unknown, were identified in sugarcane. Different parts of culms from sugarcane varieties contrasting for lignin content were analyzed for DPs-like expression profile using qPCR and mRNA in situ hybridization. The results suggest one of the DPs-like as related to lignification process as to the sucrose accumulation in mature culms. Due these promising results which have been obtained, we are motivated to propose the functional analysis of this protein using a heterologous expression system to isolate this protein and to test in vitro its role. Once it is proved DP-like is related to lignification, this information could be useful to the development of varieties focusing on the biomass yield, which the lignin content becomes less recalcitrant for the ethanol production, via classical inbreeding programs or transgenic varieties. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NOBILE, PAULA MACEDO; BOTTCHER, ALEXANDRA; MAYER, JULIANA L. S.; BRITO, MICHAEL S.; DOS ANJOS, IVAN A.; DE ANDRADE LANDELL, MARCOS GUIMARAES; VICENTINI, RENATO; CRESTE, SILVANA; RIANO-PACHON, DIEGO MAURICIO; MAZZAFERA, PAULO. Identification, classification and transcriptional profiles of dirigent domain-containing proteins in sugarcane. Molecular Genetics and Genomics, v. 292, n. 6, p. 1323-1340, DEC 2017. (08/58035-6, 12/08540-1, 10/11476-8, 10/08232-0)