Abstract
An acyltransferase (HCT) catalyses the production of p-coumaroyl-shikimate/quinate esters, the substrates of the 3-hydroxylase involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The heterologously expressed enzyme was shown to transfer the acyl group of p-coumaroyl-CoA to shikimate or quinate. HCT gene silencing in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana resulted in changes in lignin amount and composition, thus demonstrating HCT function in planta.
Acknowledgement
We thank Frédéric Legée (INRA) for Klason determinations.
Notes
CoA, coenzyme A; HCT, hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA : shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase; TRV, tobacco rattle virus; VIGS, virus-induced gene silencing