Establishing a suberin tool kit for determining suberization within classical and 'orphan' tissues.

Abstract

Suberin is a complex biopolymer found in land plants that serves as a natural barrier, regulating water and nutrient uptake while also providing defense against invading pathogens. Structurally, suberin is composed of a poly(phenolic) domain and a poly(aliphatic) domain. The deposition of suberin can be categorized into two types: (i) developmentally controlled deposition, and (ii) induced deposition. Here, we review the history and nature of suberin research and offer researchers a comprehensive toolkit for identifying suberized tissues through chemical, histochemical, and gene analysis. We further discuss developmental (e.g., bundle and mestome sheath cells, seed coat) and induced (e.g., root plasticity, wound-induced) suberization, with an emphasis on lesser-known or 'orphan' tissues.