Effect of the suppression ofBpAP1on the expression of lignin related genes in birch

Lignin is an integral part of secondary cell walls in plants and plays important roles in maintaining the strength of stems, enhancing transport ability of stems, and providing resistance to multiple stresses. Lignin biosynthesis has become one of the hotspots in molecular forest biology research. The AP1 transcription factor plays important roles in plant flower development. However, in this study, suppression ofBpAP1altered the transcription profiles of white birch and RNA-seq was used to find that suppression ofBpAP1changed the expression of lignin pathway-related genes;C4H/CYP73A,PODwere down-regulated andHCT,CCoAOMT,REF1andCADwere up-regulated. Cell walls of the suppressed transgenic birch were significantly thinner than the wild type of birch, andBpAP1-repressed birch contained less lignin. In addition to regulation of floral development,BpAP1might play a role in regulating the expression of genes in lignin biosynthesis of birch. This study could provide a new insight into the function ofAP1genes in woody species.

Automated summary

Lignin, an important component of plant secondary cell walls, plays crucial roles in maintaining stem strength, enhancing stem transport ability, and providing resistance to various stresses. This study demonstrates that the suppression of BpAP1 can alter the expression of lignin pathway-related genes in white birch, resulting in thinner cell walls and reduced lignin content in the transgenic birch. Additionally, BpAP1 may also play a role in regulating the expression of lignin biosynthesis genes in birch, providing new insights into the function of AP1 genes in woody species.