Dirigent Protein Structure and Mechanism
EMSL Project ID
44716
Abstract
The biochemistry of vascular plants has evolved in such a way as to rely extensively upon unique phenoxy radical coupling reactions thereby generating substances for structural support, for formation of water/nutrient conducting systems, and for an arsenal of plant defense systems, e.g. the lignins and closely related lignans. Taken together, these phenoxy radical coupling reactions contribute massively to lignocellulosic recalcitrance and the amounts of their products can account for up to 50% of woody biomass. Our discovery and study of the first proteins, so-called dirigent proteins (DPs), that stereoselectively control such processes revealed an unique biochemical mechanism unknown hitherto. Since then, we have developed tomato cell culture systems able to effectively produce recombinant DPs. We are thus now uniquely poised to use a combination of NMR and EPR approaches with these proteins to solve both DP structure and biochemical mechanism, including the factors controlling stereoselectivity. When completed, this will provide the urgently needed insight into DP structure and mechanism, and their potential for biotechnological exploitation for lignocellulosic biofuels etc.
Project Details
Project type
Large-Scale EMSL Research
Start Date
2011-10-01
End Date
2014-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Co-Investigator(s)
Team Members
Related Publications
Corbin C., S. Drouet, L. Markulin, D. Auguin, D. Auguin, E. Laine, and L.B. Davin, et al. 2018. "A genome-wide analysis of the flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) dirigent protein family: from gene identification and evolution to differential regulation." Plant Molecular Biology 97, no. 1-2:73-101. PNNL-SA-131411. doi:10.1007/s11103-018-0725-x
Hwang-Kim K, SG Moinuddin, A., KM Atwell, MA Costa, LB Davin, and NG Lewis. 2012. "Opposite Stereoselectivities of Dirigent Proteins in Arabidopsis and Schizandra Species." Journal of Biological Chemistry 287:33957-33972. doi:10.1074/jbc.M112.387423
Hwang-Kim KW, CA Smith, MD Daily, JR Cort, LB Davin, and NG Lewis. 2015. "Trimeric Structure of (+)-Pinoresinol-forming Dirigent Protein at 1.95 Å Resolution with Three Isolated Active Sites." Journal of Biological Chemistry 290(3):1308-1318. doi:0.1074/jbc.M114.611780
Kim K-W, CA Smith, MD Daily, JR Cort, LB Davin, and NG Lewis. 2015. "Trimeric Structure of (+)-Pinoresinol-forming Dirigent Protein at 1.95 Å Resolution with Three Isolated Active Sites." J. Biol. Chem. 290:1308-1318. doi:10.1074/jbc.M114.611780