Bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis
Abstract Bioenergy sorghum is a highly productive drought tolerant C4 grass that accumulates ~ 80% of its harvested biomass in ~ 4 m long stems comprised of > 40 internodes that develop sequentially during an extended vegetative growth phase. Following elongation of each internode, internode dens...
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BMC
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-025-02659-w |
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| author | Ka Man Jasmine Yu Brock D. Weers Brian A. McKinley Priscilla D. Glenn Evan Kurtz William L. Rooney John E. Mullet |
| author_facet | Ka Man Jasmine Yu Brock D. Weers Brian A. McKinley Priscilla D. Glenn Evan Kurtz William L. Rooney John E. Mullet |
| author_sort | Ka Man Jasmine Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Bioenergy sorghum is a highly productive drought tolerant C4 grass that accumulates ~ 80% of its harvested biomass in ~ 4 m long stems comprised of > 40 internodes that develop sequentially during an extended vegetative growth phase. Following elongation of each internode, internode density increases ~ threefold to fourfold primarily due to the accumulation of cell walls composed of cellulose, glucuronoarabinoxylan and lignin. Lignin accumulates initially on cell walls of sclerenchyma cells surrounding vascular bundles and later on cell walls of the stem rind and stem core pith parenchyma. Many genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis were expressed continuously during the stem internode densification process whereas others showed dynamic patterns of expression (high to low, low to high). Several CESA genes involved in primary cell wall cellulose synthesis were expressed in the stem rind and core throughout the stem densification phase. In contrast, CESA genes involved in secondary cell wall biogenesis were expressed continuously in the stem rind but downregulated in the stem core shortly after completion of internode elongation. Overall, accumulation of cell wall biomass in elongated internodes during stem densification increases stem mechanical strength and biomass bulk density while modifying biomass composition in ways that could impact the amount and release of cellulosic sugars and lignin-derived bioproducts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-efea94c1670b4ed6abfd2bad23da64bb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2731-3654 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts |
| spelling | doaj-art-efea94c1670b4ed6abfd2bad23da64bb2025-08-20T02:05:45ZengBMCBiotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts2731-36542025-06-0118111610.1186/s13068-025-02659-wBioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesisKa Man Jasmine Yu0Brock D. Weers1Brian A. McKinley2Priscilla D. Glenn3Evan Kurtz4William L. Rooney5John E. Mullet6Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M UniversityDepartment of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M UniversityAbstract Bioenergy sorghum is a highly productive drought tolerant C4 grass that accumulates ~ 80% of its harvested biomass in ~ 4 m long stems comprised of > 40 internodes that develop sequentially during an extended vegetative growth phase. Following elongation of each internode, internode density increases ~ threefold to fourfold primarily due to the accumulation of cell walls composed of cellulose, glucuronoarabinoxylan and lignin. Lignin accumulates initially on cell walls of sclerenchyma cells surrounding vascular bundles and later on cell walls of the stem rind and stem core pith parenchyma. Many genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis were expressed continuously during the stem internode densification process whereas others showed dynamic patterns of expression (high to low, low to high). Several CESA genes involved in primary cell wall cellulose synthesis were expressed in the stem rind and core throughout the stem densification phase. In contrast, CESA genes involved in secondary cell wall biogenesis were expressed continuously in the stem rind but downregulated in the stem core shortly after completion of internode elongation. Overall, accumulation of cell wall biomass in elongated internodes during stem densification increases stem mechanical strength and biomass bulk density while modifying biomass composition in ways that could impact the amount and release of cellulosic sugars and lignin-derived bioproducts.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-025-02659-wBioenergy sorghumCell wallsStem densityLigninGene expression |
| spellingShingle | Ka Man Jasmine Yu Brock D. Weers Brian A. McKinley Priscilla D. Glenn Evan Kurtz William L. Rooney John E. Mullet Bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts Bioenergy sorghum Cell walls Stem density Lignin Gene expression |
| title | Bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis |
| title_full | Bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis |
| title_fullStr | Bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis |
| title_short | Bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis |
| title_sort | bioenergy sorghum stem density increases threefold following internode elongation due to continued accumulation of lignified cell walls and complex regulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis |
| topic | Bioenergy sorghum Cell walls Stem density Lignin Gene expression |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-025-02659-w |
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