NCSU Researchers Find "Off Switch" of Wood Formation

North Carolina State University researchers, led by Vincent Chiang and Ron Sederoff, now have better understanding of how lignin is formed in plants and how it can be altered for biofuel, pulp, and paper production.

They have discovered that the same process plants use to respond to environmental stress acts as an on/off switch for a key enzyme in wood formation.

 "Plants use a process called protein phosphorylation to rapidly respond to external stimuli, such as threats from drought, pests or diseases," says Ling Chuang, co-lead author with the Forest Biotechnology Group.

Researchers focused on an enzyme controlling six chemical reactions in the lignin biosynthesis pathway, all of which were shut down significantly, altering lignin composition in black cottonwood. The results could be used to help modify plants to be better biofuel feedstocks or to be more resistant to pests.

 "Phosphorylation-mediated control of wood formation seems to be a ubiquitous process in plants," says Jack Wang, lead author of the study.