The cinnamate/monolignol pathway

The cinnamate/monolignol pathway provides precursors for various phenylpropanoid compounds including lignins, lignans, neolignans, p-hydroxycinnamate esters, coumarins, suberins, flavonoids, stilbenes and so on. Therefore, the pathway plays the central role in plant secondary metabolism. During the last decade, significant advances have been made in understanding the major routes and transcriptional control mechanisms of the pathway. In this review, the major routes and the transcriptional control are outlined in relation to lignification.