Zimou (David) Sun

MSc Student

Email: zimousun@student.ubc.ca

Project

Exploring the plasticity of lignin components and structure by investigating CoA Ligases

Research Interests

Lignocellulosic biomass constitutes an abundant reservoir of both cellulosic fibers and fermentable sugars, once converted from polymeric form to their associated monomers. However, lignin, a phenolic polymer found predominantly in the secondary cell walls, is a major factor contributing to biomass recalcitrance during industrial processing. Efforts to modify lignin have historically focused on reducing total lignin content and altering its composition to enhance biomass processing efficiency, both of which have been achieved through breeding but with greater impact via strategic engineering of plant cell wall biosynthesis. Naturally produced non-canonical monolignols, including acylated monolignol conjugates, highlight the possibility of introducing phenolics into the polymerization process and the ability to produce more chemically labile lignin. By introducing BAHD acyltransferases into plants, the incorporation of monolignol conjugates into lignin has been accomplished. However, substrate availability may limit the activity of the acyltransferases, resulting in relatively low levels of introduced ester-linkage conjugates. In order to overcome this challenge, aromatic acid CoA ligases participating in microbial aromatic degradation were identified and screened against a broad panel of substituted cinnamic acids involved in plant biosynthesis. Overexpression of these ligases in planta may eliminate potential limitations associated with substrate availability and ultimately increase the extent of acylation of the lignin.

Education

MSc in Agriculture – Forest Genetics and Breeding | Nanjing Forestry University (NFU), Nanjing, China (2019)

BSc in Agriculture – Forestry | Nanjing Forestry University (NFU), Nanjing, China (2015)

Selected Publications and Conference Presentations

Hunter, C., Sun, Z., Mansfield, S. D., Shahbaz, M., Pilon, M., & Gleason, S. M. (2023). The effects of copper deficiency on lignification, xylem vessel structure, and hydraulic traits in hybrid poplar. Physiol Plant, 175(5), e14006. doi:10.1111/ppl.14006

Chaudhury, D., Torkelson, E. R., Meyers, K. A., Acheson, J. F., Landucci, L., Pu, Y., Sun, Z., Tonelli, M., Bingman, C. A., Smith, R. A., Karlen, S. D., Mansfield, S. D., Ralph, J., & Fox, B. G. (2023). Rapid biocatalytic synthesis of aromatic acid CoA thioesters by using microbial aromatic acid CoA ligases. ChemBioChem, 24(9), e202300001. doi:10.1002/cbic.202300001

Wang, J., Sun, Z., Chen, C., & Xu, M. (2022). The MKK2a Gene Involved in the MAPK Signaling Cascades Enhances Populus Salt Tolerance. Int J Mol Sci, 23(17). doi:10.3390/ijms231710185

Xu, M., Li, A., Teng, Y., Sun, Z., & Xu, M. (2019). Exploring the adaptive mechanism of Passiflora edulis in karst areas via an integrative analysis of nutrient elements and transcriptional profiles. BMC Plant Biology, 19(1), 185. doi:10.1186/s12870-019-1797-8

Liu, S., Sun, Z., & Xu, M. (2018). Identification and characterization of long non-coding RNAs involved in the formation and development of poplar adventitious roots. Industrial Crops and Products, 118, 334-346. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.03.071

Zimou Sun, Debayan Chaudhury, Justin F. Acheson, Yucen Pu, Ella R. Torkelson, Kaya Meyers, Craig A. Bingman, Rebecca A. Smith, Steven D. Karlen, John Ralph, Brian G. Fox, and Shawn D. Mansfield. (2024) Introducing an exogenous cinnamate CoA ligase from Streptomyces coelicolor into poplar. IUFRO Tree Biotech 2024, Annapolis, USA. Poster Presentation.