CRISPR/Cas9 editing of p-COUMAROYL-CoA:MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE 1 in maize alters phenolic metabolism, lignin structure, and lignin-first biomass processing

Dyoni M Oliveira; Marina de L S Saleme; Rebecca A Smith; Thijs Vangeel; Marcelo de F Lima; Alexandra A Chanoca; Thatiane R Mota; Yasmine Vanhevel; Griet Coussens; Korneel Van Aelst; Jordi Geerts; Iris Cornet; Dries Vaneechoutte; Klaas Vandepoele; Laurens Pauwels; Geert Goeminne; Kris Morreel; Bert F Sels; John Ralph; Ruben Vanholme; Wout Boerjan

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.01.006

CRISPR/Cas9 editing of p-COUMAROYL-CoA:MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE 1 in maize alters phenolic metabolism, lignin structure, and lignin-first biomass processing

Trends Biotechnol. 2025 May;43(5):1166-1195. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.01.006. Epub 2025 Feb 15.

Authors

Dyoni M Oliveira¹, Marina de L S Saleme¹, Rebecca A Smith², Thijs Vangeel³, Marcelo de F Lima¹, Alexandra A Chanoca¹, Thatiane R Mota¹, Yasmine Vanhevel¹, Griet Coussens¹, Korneel Van Aelst³, Jordi Geerts⁴, Iris Cornet⁴, Dries Vaneechoutte¹, Klaas Vandepoele¹, Laurens Pauwels¹, Geert Goeminne⁵, Kris Morreel¹, Bert F Sels³, John Ralph⁶, Ruben Vanholme¹, Wout Boerjan⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium.
² Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
³ Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Center for Sustainable Catalysis and Engineering, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
⁴ Biochemical Wastewater Valorization and Engineering Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
⁵ Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Metabolomics Core, Ghent, Belgium.
⁶ Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
⁷ Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: wout.boerjan@psb.vib-ugent.be.

PMID: 39955231
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.01.006

Abstract

Valorization of lignocellulosic biomass for sustainable production of high-value chemicals is challenged by the complexity of lignin, a phenolic biopolymer. Beyond the classical lignin monomers derived from p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohol, grass lignins incorporate substantial amounts of monolignol p-coumarates that are produced by p-COUMAROYL-CoA:MONOLIGNOL TRANSFERASE (PMT). Here, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutation of ZmPMT1 in maize enabled the design of biomass depleted in p-coumaroylated lignin and enriched in guaiacyl lignin. Lignin-first biorefining of stem biomass from zmpmt1 mutants by reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) generated a lignin oil depleted in carboxylates and enriched in guaiacyl-derived alcohols, which are desirable substrates for bio-based polyurethane synthesis. The reported lignin engineering in maize is a promising strategy for designing a dual-purpose crop, providing both food and feed, along with a renewable feedstock for the production of plant-based chemicals.

Keywords: BAHD acyltransferases; biomass saccharification; genome editing; grass lignocellulose; lignification; lignin hydrogenolysis; monolignol conjugates; p-coumarate; reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF).

MeSH terms

Biomass
CRISPR-Cas Systems* / genetics
Gene Editing* / methods
Lignin* / chemistry
Lignin* / metabolism
Phenols* / metabolism
Plant Proteins* / genetics
Plant Proteins* / metabolism
Plants, Genetically Modified
Zea mays* / enzymology
Zea mays* / genetics
Zea mays* / metabolism

Substances

Lignin
Phenols
Plant Proteins