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A Telemetric, Gravimetric Platform for Real-Time Physiological Phenotyping of Plant–Environment Interactions
Published on: August 5, 2020
Intraspecific variation in the Populus balsamifera drought transcriptome
Erin T Hamanishi1, Sherosha Raj, Olivia Wilkins
1Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks St., Toronto, ON M5S 3B3, Canada.
Plant, Cell & Environment
|June 8, 2010
Summary
Populus trees
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Genomics
- Environmental Stress Response
Background:
- Drought significantly limits the growth and productivity of Populus trees.
- Tree drought resilience depends on genome-wide gene expression (transcriptome) adjustments.
- Understanding genetic variation in drought response is crucial for Populus improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate intraspecific variation in the drought-responsive transcriptome within Populus balsamifera L.
- To correlate transcriptomic changes with drought tolerance and genotypic similarity.
- To define species- and genus-level drought responses in Populus.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Affymetrix GeneChip technology to analyze transcript abundance in six Populus balsamifera genotypes under drought stress.
- Employed microarray-derived single feature polymorphism (SFP) analysis to assess genotypic differences.
- Quantified water-deficit induced transcriptomic changes and correlated them with growth maintenance.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was observed between the extent of drought-induced transcriptomic changes and a genotype's capacity for growth maintenance.
- Genotypes with more similar drought-responsive transcriptomes exhibited fewer genotypic differences (SFP).
- This suggests that drought response mechanisms may be conserved among genetically similar Populus individuals.
Conclusions:
- A core, species-level drought response exists in Populus, but is modulated by genotype-specific complexities.
- Genotypic similarity influences the conservation of drought-responsive transcriptomes.
- Considering genotype-derived variations is essential for accurate Populus drought response assessments.
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Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
Transcription
Overview
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
During photosynthesis, plants acquire the necessary carbon dioxide and release the produced oxygen back into the atmosphere. Openings in the epidermis of plant leaves is the site of this exchange of gasses. A single opening is called a stoma—derived from the Greek word for “mouth.” Stomata open and close in response to a variety of environmental cues.
Responses to Salt Stress
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.