Fig. 2.

Protein sequence alignment and transcript expression of PdGAUT12. A, B Schematic and alignment of P. trichocarpa and P. deltoides GAUT12.1 and GAUT12.2 proteins, respectively. P. deltoides GAUT12.1 and GAUT12.2 were previously cloned [5] (Genbank accession numbers MG656447 and MG656448, respectively). The N-terminal cytoplasmic domain and the transmembrane domain (TM) were predicted using TMHMM v. 2.0 [49]. The glycosyltransferase family 8 (GT8) domain (PF01501) and the predicted catalytic domain DxD motif are noted. C, D Relative expressions of PdGAUT12.1 and PdGAUT12.2, respectively, in different tissues of P. deltoides as determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Data represent means ± standard error of three biological replicates and two technical replicates, n = 6. E Schematic representation of different stages of wood development in Populus wood (reprinted with permission from [50] [Copyright (2001) National Academy of Sciences, USA]. F Dot blot measurement of PdGAUT12.1 transcript abundance in different tissues and wood development zones (a–e) of P. deltoides. A radiolabeled probe corresponding to PdGAUT12.1 cDNA was hybridized onto a membrane blotted using equal amounts of total RNA from each tissue. The results are representative of 3 independent dot blots. a: Vascular cambium; b: expansion zone; c: transition zone; d: secondary wall formation zone; e: cell death zone; Phl: phloem