bioRxiv Science⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/629709

Distinct and overlapping functions of Miscanthus sinensis MYB transcription factors SCM1 and MYB103 in lignin biosynthesis

Golfier, P.·Unda, F.·Murphy, E. K.·Xie, J.·He, F.·Zhang, W.·Mansfield, S. D.·Rausch, T.·Wolf, S.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Cell wall recalcitrance is a major constraint for the exploitation of lignocellulosic biomass as renewable resource for energy and bio-based products. Transcriptional regulators of the lignin biosynthetic pathway represent promising targets for tailoring lignin content and composition in plant secondary cell walls. A wealth of research in model organisms has revealed that transcriptional regulation of secondary cell wall formation is orchestrated by a hierarchical transcription factor (TF) network with NAC TFs as master regulators and MYB factors in the lower tier regulators. However, knowledge about the transcriptional regulation of lignin biosynthesis in lignocellulosic feedstocks, such as Miscanthus, is limited. Here, we characterized two Miscanthus MYB TFs, MsSCM1 and MsMYB103, and compared their transcriptional impact with that of the master regulator MsSND1. In Miscanthus leaves MsSCM1 and MsMYB103 are expressed at growth stages associated with lignification. Ectopic expression of MsSCM1 and MsMYB103 in tobacco leaves was sufficient to trigger secondary cell wall deposition with distinct sugar and lignin composition. Moreover, RNA-seq analysis revealed that the transcriptional responses to MsSCM1 and MsMYB103 overexpression showed extensive overlap with the response to MsSND1, but were distinct from each other, underscoring the inherent complexity of secondary cell wall formation. Together, MsSCM1 and MsMYB103 represent interesting targets for manipulations of lignin content and composition in Miscanthus towards tailored biomass.

Source connections

Explore related subjects

plant biologyPreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Golfier, P., Unda, F., Murphy, E. K., Xie, J., He, F., Zhang, W., Mansfield, S. D., Rausch, T., Wolf, S.. 2019-05-07. Distinct and overlapping functions of Miscanthus sinensis MYB transcription factors SCM1 and MYB103 in lignin biosynthesis. https://doi.org/10.1101/629709

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

In-cell structural analysis reveals a distinctive chloroplast ribosome in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Chloroplast ribosomes synthesize plastid-encoded components of photosynthetic machinery, yet their structure and organization remain poorly understood. We combined cryo-focused ion beam milling, cryo-electron tomography and subtomogram averaging to determine native chloroplast ribosomes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The 4.4-4.9 [A] structure revealed a large arch-like extension on the small subunit (SSU). Comparisons with bacterial and plant chloroplast ribosomes, supported by proteomics, AlphaFold3 predictions and a recent atomic model, indicate that the arch is formed by insertions and extensions in SSU proteins. Classification resolved active, thylakoid-associated ribosomes with density adjacent to the nascent peptide exit and an arch-moved state enriched among thylakoid-associated particles, with coordinated displacement of the arch and beak. Phylogenetic analysis revealed an evolutionary mosaic: the uS3c insertion is broadly distributed across Chlorophyceae, whereas the uS2c insertion, uS5c and PSRP7 are concentrated in Chlamydomonadales, with PSRP7 also in Sphaeropleales. Nuclear-encoded components were recruited stepwise onto a plastid-encoded scaffold, with all four under comparable purifying selection. These findings link a lineage-specific SSU extension to ribosome dynamics, thylakoid association and evolution, highlighting the value of in-cell structural analysis.

plant biology↗
bioRxiv2026

Implementation and calibration of the Vaganov-Shashkin model in the virtualRings R package

Process-based tree growth models provide a mechanistic framework for investigating how climate conditions regulate tree growth across daily to annual time scales. Yet, their broader application across species and environments is constrained by the limited accessibility in open-source environments and the difficulty of estimating physiological parameters that are rarely measured directly. Here, we present virtualRings, a new R package integrating the Vaganov-Shashkin model (VSM) and the RINGS3 models, and focus on the implementation and calibration of VSM. Using tree-ring width observations from seven Northern Hemisphere sites across various environmental conditions, we compared the traditional bootstrap-based calibration approach with the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES). CMA-ES improved agreement between simulated and observed radial tree growth and provided an efficient approach for model parameter estimation. We further evaluated practical CMA-ES settings to balance computational cost and performance and discussed its potential limitations. The virtualRings package provides an open and reproducible platform for tree growth simulation, facilitating the application of important process-based models across species and environments and the investigation of how temperature and moisture constraints regulate daily tree-ring formation across spatial and temporal scales.

plant biology↗
bioRxiv2026

Timing of transient darkness shapes carbon-nitrogen metabolism and sugar signaling in sugarcane

Fluctuating light is common in field environments. Yet, the mechanisms by which C4 crops coordinate carbon and nitrogen metabolism during short-term carbon deprivation remain poorly understood. Here, we imposed transient darkness at different phases of the diel cycle to assess how the timing of light loss affects photosynthesis, carbohydrate turnover, amino acid dynamics, and sugar-sensing pathways in commercial sugarcane leaves. Early-day darkness significantly impaired photosynthetic induction and revealed a temporal disconnect between stomatal and metabolic limitations, whereas midday and late-day treatments caused temporary, time-specific disruptions in carbon assimilation. These shifts altered the balance between sucrose preservation and catabolic mobilization, leading to treatment-dependent changes in starch reserves and free amino acids. Core circadian components largely maintained their phase relationships, but their amplitudes varied across treatments, consistent with partial decoupling from carbon status. Darkness also reorganized energy signaling, with SnRK1 and DIN6 responses associated with greater declines in sucrose. Notably, trehalose-pathway transcripts showed marked changes in network connectivity, with ScTPSIIG consistently emerging as a highly connected candidate associated with photosynthetic performance, water-use traits, sugar sensing, and amino acid metabolism. Overall, these results indicate that the timing of carbon limitation and residual sucrose availability shape distinct metabolic responses, while trehalose metabolism provides a candidate regulatory layer coordinating carbon-nitrogen adjustment during the diel cycle, highlighting class II TPS proteins as targets for functional investigation of metabolic resilience in sugarcane.

plant biology↗