HYDROXYCINNAMIC ACID-DERIVED POLYMERS CONSTITUTE THE POLYAROMATIC DOMAIN OF SUBERIN

Suberin is an abundant, complex, intractable, plant cell wall polymeri c network that forms both protective and wound-healing layers. Its fun ction is, therefore, critical to the survival of all vascular plants. Its chemical structure and biosynthesis are poorly defined, although i t is known to consist of both aromatic and aliphatic domains, While th e composition of the aliphatic component has been fairly well characte rized, that of the phenolic component has not. Using a combination of specific carbon-13 labeling techniques, and in situ solid state C-13 N MR spectroscopic analysis, we now provide the first direct evidence fo r the nature of the phenolic domain of suberin and report here that it is almost exclusively comprised of a covalently linked, hydroxycinnam ic acid-derived polymeric matrix.