Suberins, hydroxycinnamic acid

The second group of phenylpropanoids, which is the main emphasis of this chapter, consists of those components which are integrated into the cell wall framework. This group can be subdivided into three categories monomers, such as hydroxycinnamic acids, dimers, such as didehydrofer-ulic and 4,4 -dihydroxytruxillic acids, and polymers, such as lignins and suberins. It is important to emphasize, at this juncture, that the dimers (4,5) and polymers (8,9) discussed in this chapter are considered to be formed within the cell walls from their corresponding monomers. 

Suberin is a composite of polymeric phenylpropanoids and ester-linked long chain fatty acids and alcohols and consists of a hydrophobic layer attached to the cell walls of roots, bark and the vascular system (8,10). The phenylpropanoid portion of suberin purportedly has a lignin-like structure to which both aliphatic domains and hydroxycinnamic acids are esterified. 

The phenylpropanoid pathway (Fig. 3.1) is responsible for the production of many natural products that are of interest in the context of plant growth and development, human health, and ecology. For example, flavonoids are necessary for pollen viability in maize and petunia, and have been suggested to play a role in directed auxin transport. Flavonoids and sinapate esters have been found to be important UV-protectants in many species, including Arabidopsis. Furthermore, wall-bound phenolics are thought to impart control over cell wall expansion, and hydroxycinnamic acids are an important structural component of the hydrophobic barrier polymer suberin. Finally, lignin is a phenylpropanoid polymer ubiquitous in higher plants, which is necessary for mechanical support and water transport. " ... 

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