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Journal of Wood Science

Official Journal of the Japan Wood Research Society

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The monomer composition controls the Σβ-O-4/ΣO-4 end monomer ratio of the linear lignin fraction

Journal of Wood Science volume 53, pages 314–319 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Lignins are cell wall phenolic heteropolymers that result from the oxidative coupling of three monolignols bearing p-coumaryl (H), coniferyl (G), and sinapyl (S) units, in a reaction mediated by peroxidases. Here, we report the existence of a relationship between the Σβ-O-4/ΣO-4 end monomer ratio of the linear lignin fraction, released through the specific cleavage of the alkyl ether linkages by thioacidolysis, and the G/S ratio of lignins, when this was estimated in differentially evolved vascular land plants. Most importantly, in the case of angiosperms, Gnetales, and lycopods, the Σβ-O-4/ΣO-4 end monomer ratio was apparently predictable from the proportions at which the G and S units were mixed. In the case of G lignins (present in basal gymnosperms and ferns), the Σβ-O-4/ΣO-4 end monomer ratio decayed exponentially to increase the O-4-linked dihydroconiferyl alcohol (DHCA) content. The results obtained suggest that the Σβ-O-4/ΣO-4 end monomer ratio of the linear lignin fraction depends intimately on the lignin monomer composition, and, therefore, on the chemical nature of the radicals derived from three monolignols (coniferyl, dihydroconiferyl, and sinapyl alcohols), whose gain have been finely tuned during land plant evolution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology, University of Murcia, Murcia, E-30100, Spain

    Laura Vanesa Gómez Ros, Juan Cuello & Alfonso Ros Barceló

  2. Centro de Investigaciones Agrarias de Mabegondo, Apartado de Correos 10, La Coruña, E-15080, Spain

    Federico Pomar

  3. Department of Plant Biology, University of La Coruña, La Coruña, E-15071, Spain

    José M. Espiñeira, Federico Pomar & Fuencisla Merino

Authors
  1. Laura Vanesa Gómez Ros
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  2. José M. Espiñeira
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  3. Federico Pomar
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  4. Fuencisla Merino
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  5. Juan Cuello
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  6. Alfonso Ros Barceló
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Correspondence to Alfonso Ros Barceló.

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Gómez Ros, L.V., Espiñeira, J.M., Pomar, F. et al. The monomer composition controls the Σβ-O-4/ΣO-4 end monomer ratio of the linear lignin fraction. J Wood Sci 53, 314–319 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-006-0867-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10086-006-0867-3

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