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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Lignin Down-regulation of Zea mays via dsRNAi and Klason Lignin Analysis
Published on: July 23, 2014
Tricin, a flavonoid monomer in monocot lignification
Wu Lan1, Fachuang Lu2, Matthew Regner1
1Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute (W.L., F.L., M.R., Y.Z., J.Re., U.I.Z., J.Ra.), Department of Biological System Engineering (W.L., J.Ra.), and Department of Biochemistry (F.L., M.R., J.Ra.), University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726;United States Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin 53726 (S.A.R.); andDepartment of Plant Systems Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, andDepartment of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium (K.M., W.B.).
Tricin, a compound found in monocots, acts as a nucleation site for lignin formation. This discovery explains how monocot lignin chains initiate, resolving a long-standing scientific puzzle.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biochemistry
- Polymer Science
- Organic Chemistry
Background:
- Tricin, a flavonoid, has been identified in monocot lignin.
- The role of tricin in the lignification process remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To confirm tricin's involvement in lignification.
- To elucidate the mechanism of tricin incorporation into lignin polymers.
- To propose a new term for tricin-initiated lignin polymers.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of tricin-monolignol coupling products.
- Biomimetic oxidation reactions using peroxidase or silver (I) oxide.
- Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) analysis of maize lignin.
Main Results:
- Tricin was synthesized and shown to couple with monolignols.
- Biomimetic oxidations produced tricin-monolignol dimers.
- NMR/GPC analysis confirmed tricin incorporation into high molecular weight lignin fractions.
- Tricin is ether-linked within the lignin polymer.
Conclusions:
- Tricin is an authentic lignin monomer in monocots.
- Tricin functions as a nucleation site, initiating lignin chain growth.
- This initiation mechanism differs from the homodehydrodimerization seen in dicots.
- The term "flavonolignin" is proposed for tricin-initiated polymers.
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