Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in plants engenders a vast variety of aromatic metabolites critically important for their growth, development, and environmental adaptation. Some of these aromatic compounds have high economic value. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) is the first committed enzyme in the pathway; it diverts the central flux of carbon from primary metabolism to the synthesis of myriad...

The functional architecture of the proximal region of a rice phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) promoter was analyzed by transcription of PAL-beta-glucuronidase (GUS) templates by whole-cell extracts of rice cell suspension cultures. The promoter 5' truncated to position -35 was sufficient for accurate initiation of basal transcription. Substitution of the TATTTAA sequence between positions -35 ...