| ignin is a phenolic polymer that plays an important role in mechanical support and water conductivity in plants. Lignin is especially important in trees where it usually accounts for 25% to 30% of the dry weight of the wood. We have identified a mutant in the lignin biosynthetic enzyme cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD). CAD catalyzes the last step in the biosynthesis of lignin monomers and is encoded by a single gene in pine. A mutant allele of CAD, referred to as... |
