Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Characterization of CesA10 and CesA11 Genes Involved in Cellulose Biosynthesis in Sugarcane

Cellulose is the primary component of plant cell walls, and its content is linked to the strength of plant stems. The cellulose synthase genes (<i>CesA</i>) are crucial for regulating cellulose biosynthesis. To examine the characteristics and functions of <i>CesA</i> genes in sugarcane, our study conducted a genome-wide analysis of <i>the Saccharum officinarum LA-Purple genome</i>. The results identified 10 <i>CesA</i> genes in the <i>S. officinarum</i> genome, which could be grouped into six categories. <i>SoCesA10</i>, <i>SoCesA11</i>, and <i>SoCesA12</i> are clustered within the same subclass as genes involved in secondary cell wall synthesis in rice and Arabidopsis. Further transcriptome analysis of stems at different stages and sections showed that <i>SoCesA10</i>, <i>SoCesA11</i>, and <i>SoCesA12</i> were highly expressed during mature stages. Among these, <i>SoCesA10</i> and <i>SoCesA11</i> showed differences in expression between species and organs. Their gene functions were also validated in rice, revealing that the expression of <i>SoCesA10</i> and <i>SoCesA11</i> was positively correlated with cellulose content. In summary, this study identified key cellulose biosynthesis genes, <i>SoCesA10</i> and <i>SoCesA11</i>, in sugarcane and preliminarily confirmed their functions in rice, providing a foundation for breeding sugarcane with improved lodging resistance.