Influence of esterified phenolic compounds to sugarcane cell-wall hemicelluloses on susceptibility to hydrolases attack

• Grant number: 07/05077-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2007
• End date: August 18, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Silveira Buckeridge
• Grantee: Wanderley Dantas dos Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Phenylpropanoids are important compounds in grasses. They are involved in the restriction of cell growth, composition and are also responsible as the initiators of lignin synthesis during biotic and abiotic stresses. The hydroxycinamic acids esterify glucuronoarabinoxylans promoting interlinks in the primary wall that lead to stiffening, which has as a consequence the restriction of access of cell wall hydrolases by pathogens as well as endogenous enzymatic attack. The inhibition of the phenylpropanoids pathway has the potential fo reducing the formation of cross links within the wall, rendering it more accessible to the attack of polysaccharide hydrolases. This proposal aims at investigate phenylpropanoid metabolism that might be related with the phenolic cross links in cell walls of sugarcane. Our objective is to develop e background for subsequent genetic interventions able to prompt viable ways of conversion of cell wall polysaccharides into soluble carbohydrates that can be used for production of biofuel.