Chemical Composition of Hypodermal and Endodermal Cell Walls and Xylem Vessels Isolated from Clivia miniata (Identification of the Biopolymers Lignin and Suberin)

Abstract

The occurrence of the biopolymers lignin and suberin was investigated with hypodermal (HCW) and endodermal cell walls (ECW) and xylem vessels (XV) isolated from Clivia miniata Reg. roots. Both biopolymers were detected in HCW and ECW, whereas in XV, typical aliphatic suberin monomers were missing and only representative lignin monomers such as guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) units could be detected. The absolute amounts of lignin were about one order of magnitude higher compared with suberin in both HCW and ECW. The ratios of the two aromatic lignin units (G/S) decreased from 39 in XV and 10 in HCW to about 1 in ECW, indicating significant differences in lignin structure and function between the three investigated samples. Additionally, compared with the detectable lignin-derived aromatic units G and S, significantly higher amounts of esterified p-coumaric acid-derived aromatic monomers were obtained with HCW, but not with ECW. This is interpreted as a functional adaption of HCW toward pathogen defense at the root/soil interface. The final aim of this study was to provide a thorough chemical characterization of the composition of HCW, ECW, and XV, which in turn will form the basis for a better understanding of the relevant barriers toward the passive, radial, and apoplastic diffusion of solutes from the soil across the root cortex into the root cylinder.