Xylan's Major Proteins Discovered

Researchers from University of Georgia discovered the important proteins in the synthesis of xylan, a sugar found in plant's cell wall and a major component in wood, forage and grain. Previous studies reveal that the lack of xylan in plant's cell wall has resulted to failure of plants to grow normally due to the inability of xylem to transport efficiently from the roots to the shoot system.

Their study reveals that the Arabidopsis thaliana protein, IRX 10-L and ESK1/TBL29 are the main proteins involves in the synthesis of xylan. This discovery does not only provide a new tool for understanding plant growth, but also on the process of how it can be broken down to develop different products that are useful in the field of construction, biofuel, pharmaceuticals and in food production.

Read more about their study at http://news.uga.edu/releases/article/uga-discovery-opens-doors-to-building-better-plants/.