Unexpected polymerization mechanism of dilignol in the lignin growing

Lignin is an essential component of higher plants, which is built by the enzymatic dehydrogenative polymerization of monolignols. First, monolignol is enzymatically oxidized to produce the phenoxy radical, which can form resonance hybrids. Two radical resonant hybrids are coupled with each other to yield dilignol with various linkage types, of which the main structures are β- O -4′ ( I ), β-5′ ( II ) and β-β′ ( III ). However, the reaction mechanism behind the addition lignol radicals to dilignol is not yet fully understood. Here, we show an unexpected reaction with structure II during enzymatic dehydrogenative polymerization, which involves cleavage of a covalent linkage and creation of a new radical coupling site. This implied that the β-5 dilignol diversifies the growing pattern of lignin. This discovery elucidates a novel mechanism in lignin polymerization.

Radical transfer system in the enzymatic dehydrogenative polymerization (DHP formation) of coniferyl alcohol (CA) and three dilignols

No clear picture has yet been elaborated concerning the mechanism of lignin growth, and thus this topic is the focus of the present paper. Namely, the enzymatic dehydrogenative polymerization (DHP formation) of coniferyl alcohol (CA, as a monolignol) and three dilignols and their reaction kinetics were investigated. The dilignols [guaiacylglycerol-β-coniferyl ether (IβO4), dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (IIβ5), and pinoresinol (IIIββ)] and CA as a monolignol [(3-OCD3)-coniferyl alcohol (CAOCD3)] were synthesized and subjected to enzymatic DHP formation. The dilignol derived from CAOCD3 could be identified by its higher molecular weight in comparison with the starting dilignols (IβO4, IIβ5, and IIIββ). Based on the observed consumption rate of the CA and its dilignols, it was proposed that a radical transfer system exists between the dilignols, which is generated from the CA and the starting substrates.

Generation of lignin polymer models via dehydrogenative polymerization of coniferyl alcohol and syringyl alcohol via several plant peroxidases involved in lignification and analysis of the resulting DHPs by MALDI-TOF analysis

The mechanism of lignin dehydrogenative polymerization (DHP), made by means of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was studied in comparison with other plant peroxidases. Interestingly, HRP is efficient for guaiacyl type polymer formation (G-DHPs), but is not efficient in the case of syringyl type DHPs (S-DHPs). It was previously demonstrated that lignification-relatedArabidopsisthalianaperoxidases, AtPrx2, AtPrx25 and AtPrx71, and cationic cell-wall-bound peroxidase (CWPO-C) fromPopulus albaare successful to oxidize syringyl- and guaiacyl-type monomers and larger lignin-like molecules. This is the reason why in the present study the DHP formation by means of these recombinant peroxidases was tested, and all these enzymes were successful for formation of both G-DHP and S-DHP in acceptable yields. CWPO-C led to S-DHP molecular size distribution similar to that of isolated lignins.