Secondary cell walls

Fractionation and Chemistry of Citrus Pectic Polysaccharides. Pectic polysaccharides, commonly known as pectin, appear early in plant cell-wall formation. A series of complex biochemical steps results in the formation of cell plates followed first by its growth in area (primary cell wall) then in thickness (secondary cell wa.ll). Exclusive of randomly oriented cellulose fibrils, primary cell wall is composed mainly of pectic polysaccharides (34). These pectic polysaccharides are rich in D-galacturonic acid, D-galactose and L-arabinose residues. With growth in thickness of cell wall (secondary cell wall),there appears to be a replacement of pectic polysaccharide deposition with polysaccharides rich in D-glucuronic acid or 4-0-methyl-D-glucuronic acid,... 

Figure 18.3 shows a complete structure of a plant fiber. The physical structure of a plant fiber typically consists of a primary cell wall and three secondary cell walls. The middle secondary cell wall (secondary wall-II, as shown in Figure 18.2) is thick in... 

Structure of the Cell Wall. The iaterior stmcture of the ceU wall is shown in Figure 6. The interfiber region is the middle lamella (ML). This region, rich in lignin, is amorphous and shows no fibnUar stmcture when examined under the electron microscope. The cell wall is composed of stmcturaHy different layers or lamellae, reflecting the manner in which the cell forms. The newly formed cell contains protoplasm, from which cellulose and the other cell wall polymers are laid down to thicken the cell wall internally. Thus, there is a primary wall (P) and a secondary wall (S). The secondary wall is subdivided into three portions, the S, S2, and layers, which form sequentially toward the lumen. Viewed from the lumen, the cell wall frequendy has a bumpy appearance. This is called the warty layer and is composed of protoplasmic debris. The warty layer and exposed layer are sometimes referred to as the tertiary wad. 

The filaments of all plant fibers consist of several cells. These cells form crystalline microfibrils (cellulose), which are connected together into a complete layer by amorphous lignin and hemi-cellulose. Multiple layers stick together to form multiple layer composites, filaments. A single cell is subdivided into several concentric layers, one primary and three secondary layers. Figure 5 shows a jute cell. The cell walls differ in their composition and in the orientation of the cellulose microfibrils whereby the characteristic values change from one natural fiber to another. 

Xylan-type polysaccharides are the main hemicellulose components of secondary cell walls constituting about 20-30% of the biomass of dicotyl plants (hardwoods and herbaceous plants). In some tissues of monocotyl plants (grasses and cereals) xylans occur up to 50% [6j. Xylans are thus available in huge and replenishable amoimts as by-products from forestry, the agriculture, wood, and pulp and paper industries. Nowadays, xylans of some seaweed represent a novel biopolymer resource [4j. The diversity and complexity of xylans suggest that many useful by-products can be potentially produced and, therefore, these polysaccharides are considered as possible biopolymer raw materials for various exploitations. As a renewable resource, xylans are... 

Glucomannans (GM) and galactoglucomannans (GGM), common constituents of plant cell walls, are the major hemicellulosic components of the secondary cell walls of softwoods, whereas in the secondary cell walls of hardwoods they occur in minor amounts. They are suggested to be present together with xylan and fucogalactoxyloglucan in the primary cell walls of higher plants [192]. These polysaccharides were extensively studied in the 1960s [6,193]. 

As plant cells grow, they deposit new layers of cellulose external to the plasma membrane by exocytosis. The newest regions, which are laid down successively in three layers next to the plasma membrane, are termed the secondary cell wall. Because the latter varies in its chemical composition and structure at different locations around the cell, Golgi-derived vesicles must be guided by the cytoskeleton... 

All secondary cell walls develop from primary cell walls. Cells no longer grow once lignin is added to their wails. Lignification, which is a key step in the conversion of a primary cell wall into a secondary cell wall, results in terminal differentiation of the encased cell. Indeed, many cells with lignified walls die. The totipotency of plant cells is limited to cells enveloped in primary walls. 

CelIulose.-Most biologists know that cellulose (l->4-linked P-D-glucan) is a polysaccharide component of all primary and secondary cell walls. Indeed, plant cell walls are... 

Candida boidinii is a further yeast producer of pectic enzymes complex. The production is induced by the presence of pectin as a C-source in the medium the primary methabolic path is the utilization of methanol and the secondary the utilization of pectate chains. The pectic enzymes were bound on the cell walls or released on the cultivation medium. The main enzyme of pectic complex, polygalacturonase, was briefly characterized and the possibility to influence the production of its multiple forms discussed. 

Fig. 23 Saliva and serum IgA (primary and secondary) response following orally administered soluble antigen Streptococcus mutans cell wall extract (open circles, soluble antigen solid circles, liposome-encapsulated material) (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidic acid, cholesterol). (From Ref. 277).

Ilk, N. Kosma, P. Puchberger, M. Egelseer, E. M. Mayer, H. F. Sleytr, U. B. Sara, M. Structural and functional analyses of the secondary cell wall polymer of Bacillus sphaericus CCM 2177 that serves as an S-layer-specific anchor. J. Bacterial. 1999,181,7643-7646. 

Heldt HW and Heldt F. 2005. Phenylpropanoids comprise a multitude of plant secondary metabolites and cell wall components. In Plant Biochemistry, 3rd ed. San Diego, CA Elsevier Academic Press, pp. 435 154. 

UV-C technology is widely used as an alternative to chemical sterilization and microorganism reduction in food products (Lamikanra 2002 Fan and others 2008). Ultraviolet light also induces biological stress in plants and defense mechanisms in plant tissues with the consequent production of phytochemical compounds (Lee and Kader 2000). Phytoalexin accumulation could be accompanied by other inducible defenses such as cell-wall modifications, defense enzymes, and antioxidant activity, which have been reported with health benefits (Gonzalez-Aguilar and others 2007). It is well documented that UV-C irradiation has an effect in secondary metabolism. 

The components of the plant cell wall (8-21) are the middle lamella (intercellular substance), the primary wall, and the secondary wall. The middle lamella is the pectic layer between cells and holds adjoining cells together as do membrane carbohydrates. The primary wall is thin (1-3 pm) and flexible containing cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins, and glycoproteins. This wall provides mechanical strength, maintains cell shape,... 

Parenchyma Isodiametric, thin-walled primary cell wall in some instances can have secondary cell walls not highly differentiated Photosynthesis, secretion, organic nutrient and water storage, regeneration as in would healing... 

Schlerenchyma Thick cell walls containing lignin-nonextensible secondary walls, lack protoplasts at maturity, living or dead at functional maturity Strength and supporting elements of plant parts, scattered throughout plant (also see conducting tissue)... 

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