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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » WHGQ » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #413083
Research Project: Wheat and Barley Adaptation to a Changing Climate - Discovery of Genetic and Physiological Processes for Improved Crop Productivity and Quality

Location: Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research

Title: Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of the CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE gene family in Triticum aestivum

Author
item PERACCHI, LUIGI - Washington State University
item BREW-APPIAH, RHODA A T - Washington State University
item Garland-Campbell, Kimberly
item ROALSON, ERIC - Washington State University
item SANGUINET, KAREN - Washington State University

Submitted to: BMC Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/22/2024
Publication Date: 8/29/2024
Citation: Peracchi, L.M., Brew-Appiah, R., Garland Campbell, K.A., Roalson, E.H., Sanguinet, K.A. 2024. Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of the CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE gene family in Triticum aestivum. BMC Genomics. 25. Article 816. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10648-w.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10648-w

Interpretive Summary: The lignin pathway in plants has critical functions in plant structure and defense mechanisms. One of the main synthesis gene families that forms lignin is the gene for the enzyme cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD). The probem is that these genes have not been adequately characterized in wheat, making it dificult to ascertain their specific functions and roles in plant growth and develpment. This work documents the CAD gene family in wheat. 47 copies of were documented and the TaCAD gene family contributes overlapping functions that likely contribute to wheat growth across a wide variety of agroecosystems. This information forms the basis for research to identify specific functions of various members of this family and possible manipulaations of genes for better crops.

Technical Abstract: Background CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE (CAD) catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of cinnamaldehydes into cinnamyl alcohols and is a key enzyme found at the final step of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Cinnamyl alcohols and their conjugates are subsequently polymerized in the secondary cell wall to form lignin. CAD genes are typically encoded by multi-gene families and thus traditionally organized into general classifications of functional relevance. Results In silico analysis of the hexaploid Triticum aestivum genome revealed 47 high confidence TaCAD copies, of which three were determined to be the most significant isoforms (class I) considered bone fide CADs. Class I CADs were expressed throughout development both in RNAseq data sets as well as via qRT-PCR analysis. In addition, Class I TaCADs were also upregulated after wounding and chitin elicitation in RNAseq data sets, but not in qRT-PCR experiments in roots or shoots. Of the 37 class II TaCADs identified, two groups were observed to be significantly co-expressed with class I TaCADs in developing tissue and under chitin elicitation in RNAseq data sets. These co-expressed class II TaCADs were also found to be phylogenetically unrelated to a separate clade of class II TaCADs previously reported to be an influential resistance factor to pathogenic fungal infection. Lastly, two groups were phylogenetically identified as class III TaCADs, which possess distinct conserved gene structures. However, the lack of data supporting their catalytic activity for cinnamaldehydes and their bereft transcriptional presence in lignifying tissues challenges their designation and function as CADs.