Molecular Bypasses Boost Grass Lignin, Starch Synthesis
Researchers have discovered that ancient metabolic 'bypasses' in grass ancestors allowed for more efficient synthesis of lignin and starch. This evolutionary adaptation likely contributed to the dominance of grasses in both natural ecosystems and global agriculture.
Why it matters
Understanding the genetic mechanisms behind grass efficiency could lead to breakthroughs in crop yield optimization and sustainable biomass production for energy.
One hundred million years ago, long before human intervention, ancestors of grasses, like wheat, rice and maize generated "bypasses" of chemical pathways that are used to create two critical compounds: lignin and starch. These more efficient pathways could explain why grass plants are so successful in nature and agriculture, according to a new paper publishing in Science on Aug. 20 by researchers from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and their collaborators.
Like a beltway that creates a more flexible traffic flow in a city, these metabolic bypasses led to efficient and robust synthesis of both lignin and starch, chemical compounds that are critical for plants.
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