During lignification, the monomer forms a variety of linkages through free radical additions.
While both degradative analyses on native lignins and NMR studies on isolated lignins have provided evidence regarding the structural claims for these modified lignins, their functional roles are not clear.
CAD is a generic term (cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase) for the enzyme class that catalyzes the final reduction to hydroxycinnamyl alcohols—CAD′ may or may not be different from CAD and CAD". Coniferyl alcohol is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of eugenol, stilbenoids, and coumarin. Communicated by Ron Sederoff, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (received for review May 13, 1998)Homologous antisense constructs were used to down-regulate tobacco cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD; EC Lignins are phenolic polymers essential for mechanical support, defense, and water transport in vascular terrestrial plants (Lignin biosynthetic pathway, simplified schematic. Molecular Weight 180.20 .
1.Carbon 9 refers to either the primary alcoholic carbon atom (i.e. Coniferyl alcohol is a monomeric building block of lignin, the second most abundant biopolymer.
Quantum Calculations on Plant Cell Wall Component Interactions.