Unexpected variation in lignin

Recent studies on mutant and transgenic plants indicate that lignification may be far more flexible than previously realized. Pines with a mutation affecting the biosynthesis of the major lignin precursor, coniferyl alcohol, show a high level of an unusual subunit, dihydroconiferyl alcohol. These results argue in favor of an increased potential for genetic modification of lignin and indicate that our knowledge of the biosynthesis of lignin is far from complete.