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Conifer terpene synthases : functions in induced plant defense, phylogenetic analyses, & molecular modeling Martin, Diane Marie
Abstract
Terpenes and terpene biosynthesis play major roles in conifer secondary metabolism. Oleoresin, a combination of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes, is produced by conifers in copious quantities and stored in specialized anatomical structures. These chemicals serve as toxic protectants and mechanical barriers against invading herbivores and pathogens. Norway spruce, Picea abies, is capable of constitutive and inducible terpenebased defenses. Following insect attack or biological elicitation, Norway spruce is induced to form traumatic resin ducts. The studies presented here describe the complex changes induced after methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment in this species. Terpene defenses are characterized in a tissue specific manner on anatomical, chemical, biochemical, and molecular levels. The formation of traumatic resin ducts in the developing xylem is initiated after MeJA treatment. Similarly, the accumulation of monoterpenes in both bark and wood and the accumulation of diterpenes in wood begin rapidly after MeJA treatment. Terpene accumulation is preceded temporally by the increase in GGPP synthase, monoterpene synthase (mono-TPS) and diterpene synthase (di-TPS) activities in wood. Mono-TPS and di-TPS transcripts increase in abundance in stem tissue and mono-TPS transcripts increase in foliage following MeJA treatment. MeJA treatment also induces the release of large amounts of volatile oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, compounds that are not emitted from untreated control plants. This emission of volatile terpenes coincides with a two-fold accumulation on terpenes in foliage and a five-fold increase in TPS activities. Ten Norway spruce TPS genes, involved in these constitutive and inducible defenses, were cloned, functionally expressed and characterized. This suite of TPS contains members of the mono-TPS, sesqui-TPS and di-TPS biochemical classes including several of previously not characterized functions. Furthermore, these TPS have provided a new basis to re-examine the phylogeny of the gymnosperm TPS-d subfamily and the TPS family overall. A model of gymnosperm TPS evolution is discussed as are some striking parallels between gymnosperm and angiosperm TPS evolution.
Item Metadata
Title |
Conifer terpene synthases : functions in induced plant defense, phylogenetic analyses, & molecular modeling
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
2004
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Description |
Terpenes and terpene biosynthesis play major roles in conifer secondary metabolism.
Oleoresin, a combination of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes, is produced by
conifers in copious quantities and stored in specialized anatomical structures. These
chemicals serve as toxic protectants and mechanical barriers against invading herbivores and
pathogens. Norway spruce, Picea abies, is capable of constitutive and inducible terpenebased
defenses. Following insect attack or biological elicitation, Norway spruce is induced to
form traumatic resin ducts. The studies presented here describe the complex changes induced
after methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment in this species. Terpene defenses are characterized
in a tissue specific manner on anatomical, chemical, biochemical, and molecular levels. The
formation of traumatic resin ducts in the developing xylem is initiated after MeJA treatment.
Similarly, the accumulation of monoterpenes in both bark and wood and the accumulation of
diterpenes in wood begin rapidly after MeJA treatment. Terpene accumulation is preceded
temporally by the increase in GGPP synthase, monoterpene synthase (mono-TPS) and
diterpene synthase (di-TPS) activities in wood. Mono-TPS and di-TPS transcripts increase in
abundance in stem tissue and mono-TPS transcripts increase in foliage following MeJA
treatment. MeJA treatment also induces the release of large amounts of volatile oxygenated
monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, compounds that are not emitted from untreated control
plants. This emission of volatile terpenes coincides with a two-fold accumulation on terpenes
in foliage and a five-fold increase in TPS activities. Ten Norway spruce TPS genes, involved in
these constitutive and inducible defenses, were cloned, functionally expressed and
characterized. This suite of TPS contains members of the mono-TPS, sesqui-TPS and di-TPS
biochemical classes including several of previously not characterized functions. Furthermore,
these TPS have provided a new basis to re-examine the phylogeny of the gymnosperm TPS-d
subfamily and the TPS family overall. A model of gymnosperm TPS evolution is discussed as
are some striking parallels between gymnosperm and angiosperm TPS evolution.
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Extent |
14886250 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-11-27
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0091714
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
2004-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.