Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls
Abstract Pectin is a major component of plant cells walls. The extent to which pectin chains crosslink with one another determines crucial properties including cell wall strength, porosity, and the ability of small, biologically significant molecules to access the cell. Despite its importance, signi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07495-0 |
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| author | Irabonosi Obomighie Iain J. Prentice Peter Lewin-Jones Fabienne Bachtiger Nathan Ramsay Chieko Kishi-Itakura Martin W. Goldberg Tim J. Hawkins James E. Sprittles Heather Knight Gabriele C. Sosso |
| author_facet | Irabonosi Obomighie Iain J. Prentice Peter Lewin-Jones Fabienne Bachtiger Nathan Ramsay Chieko Kishi-Itakura Martin W. Goldberg Tim J. Hawkins James E. Sprittles Heather Knight Gabriele C. Sosso |
| author_sort | Irabonosi Obomighie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Pectin is a major component of plant cells walls. The extent to which pectin chains crosslink with one another determines crucial properties including cell wall strength, porosity, and the ability of small, biologically significant molecules to access the cell. Despite its importance, significant gaps remain in our comprehension, at the molecular level, of how pectin cross-links influence the mechanical and physical properties of cell walls. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining molecular dynamics simulations, experimental investigations, and mathematical modelling, to elucidate the mechanism of pectin cross-linking and its effect on cell wall porosity. The computational aspects of this work challenge the prevailing egg-box model, favoring instead a zipper model for pectin cross-linking, whilst our experimental work highlights the significant impact of pectin cross-linking on cell wall porosity. This work advances our fundamental understanding of the biochemistry underpinning the structure and function of the plant cell wall. This knowledge has important implications for agricultural biotechnology, informing us about the chemical properties of plant pectins that are best suited for improving crop resilience and amenability to biofuel extraction by modifying the cell wall. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d197a2d529e419a9696d39d81e9498e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d197a2d529e419a9696d39d81e9498e2025-01-19T12:35:26ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-01-018111210.1038/s42003-025-07495-0Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell wallsIrabonosi Obomighie0Iain J. Prentice1Peter Lewin-Jones2Fabienne Bachtiger3Nathan Ramsay4Chieko Kishi-Itakura5Martin W. Goldberg6Tim J. Hawkins7James E. Sprittles8Heather Knight9Gabriele C. Sosso10Department of Biosciences and Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology, Durham UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, University of WarwickWarwick Mathematics Institute, University of WarwickDepartment of Chemistry, University of WarwickDepartment of Biosciences and Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology, Durham UniversityDepartment of Biosciences and Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology, Durham UniversityDepartment of Biosciences and Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology, Durham UniversityDepartment of Biosciences and Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology, Durham UniversityWarwick Mathematics Institute, University of WarwickDepartment of Biosciences and Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology, Durham UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, University of WarwickAbstract Pectin is a major component of plant cells walls. The extent to which pectin chains crosslink with one another determines crucial properties including cell wall strength, porosity, and the ability of small, biologically significant molecules to access the cell. Despite its importance, significant gaps remain in our comprehension, at the molecular level, of how pectin cross-links influence the mechanical and physical properties of cell walls. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining molecular dynamics simulations, experimental investigations, and mathematical modelling, to elucidate the mechanism of pectin cross-linking and its effect on cell wall porosity. The computational aspects of this work challenge the prevailing egg-box model, favoring instead a zipper model for pectin cross-linking, whilst our experimental work highlights the significant impact of pectin cross-linking on cell wall porosity. This work advances our fundamental understanding of the biochemistry underpinning the structure and function of the plant cell wall. This knowledge has important implications for agricultural biotechnology, informing us about the chemical properties of plant pectins that are best suited for improving crop resilience and amenability to biofuel extraction by modifying the cell wall.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07495-0 |
| spellingShingle | Irabonosi Obomighie Iain J. Prentice Peter Lewin-Jones Fabienne Bachtiger Nathan Ramsay Chieko Kishi-Itakura Martin W. Goldberg Tim J. Hawkins James E. Sprittles Heather Knight Gabriele C. Sosso Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls Communications Biology |
| title | Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls |
| title_full | Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls |
| title_fullStr | Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls |
| title_short | Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls |
| title_sort | understanding pectin cross linking in plant cell walls |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07495-0 |
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