Université Lille-Nord de France, Lille 1 UMR INRA 1281, SADV, Villeneuve d'Ascq cedex, France.
Plant Sci. 2011 Oct;181(4):379-86. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2011.06.012. Epub 2011 Jul 13.
Lignin is a major component of certain plant cell walls. The enzymes and corresponding genes associated with the metabolic pathway leading to the production of this complex phenolic polymer have been studied for many years now and are relatively well characterized. The use of genetically modified model plants (Arabidopsis, tobacco, poplar.) and mutants has contributed greatly to our current understanding of this process. The recent utilisation and/or development of a number of dedicated genomic and transcriptomic tools for other species opens new perspectives for advancing our knowledge of the biological role of this important polymer in less typical situations and/or species. In this context, studies on the formation of hypolignified G-type fibres in angiosperm tension wood, and the natural hypolignification of secondary cell walls in plant bast fibre species such as hemp (Cannabis sativa), flax (Linum usitatissimum) or ramie (Boehmeria nivea) are starting to provide novel information about how plants control secondary cell wall formation. Finally, other biologically interesting species for which few molecular resources currently exist could also represent interesting future models.
木质素是某些植物细胞壁的主要成分。多年来，与生产这种复杂酚类聚合物的代谢途径相关的酶和相应基因一直是研究的重点，并且已经得到了相对较好的描述。利用遗传修饰的模式植物（拟南芥、烟草、杨树等）和突变体极大地促进了我们对这一过程的理解。最近，一些专门用于其他物种的基因组和转录组工具的利用和/或开发为在不太典型的情况和/或物种中推进我们对这种重要聚合物的生物学作用的认识开辟了新的视角。在这种情况下，对被子植物张力木中低木质化 G 型纤维的形成以及植物韧皮纤维物种（如大麻（Cannabis sativa）、亚麻（Linum usitatissimum）或苎麻（Boehmeria nivea）次生细胞壁的自然低木质化的研究开始提供有关植物如何控制次生细胞壁形成的新信息。最后，对于那些目前分子资源很少的其他具有生物学意义的物种，它们也可能成为未来有趣的模型。
