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Area of Science:

  • Plant biology
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) is a volatile organic compound emitted by plants.
  • Isoprene emission is thought to confer adaptive advantages, particularly in protecting leaves against abiotic stress.
  • The presence of isoprene emission varies significantly across plant taxa, suggesting a dynamic evolutionary history.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary history of isoprene emission in plants.
  • To understand the frequency of gain and loss events of isoprene emission across different plant groups.
  • To explore the genetic basis and environmental factors influencing the evolution of isoprene emission.

Main Methods:

  • Phylogenetic analysis of plant families (e.g., Fabaceae, Pteridophyta) and genera (e.g., Quercus).
  • Comparative genomics to assess gene function gain and loss for isoprene synthase.
  • Analysis of monoterpene emissions as a potential replacement for isoprene emission.

Main Results:

  • Isoprene emission is ancestral in Fabaceae but has been lost and gained multiple times.
  • In ferns (Pteridophyta), isoprene emission has been gained five times and lost twice.
  • Oaks (Quercus) show loss of isoprene emission in some clades, replaced by novel monoterpene emissions, which also appear to have evolved multiple times.
  • Gain and loss of isoprene synthase gene function occur via few mutations, facilitating rapid evolutionary changes.

Conclusions:

  • The ability to emit isoprene is evolutionarily labile, with frequent gains and losses across plant lineages.
  • The heterogeneous distribution of isoprene emission is likely driven by the ease of genetic mutation for isoprene synthase and its advantage in specific environmental conditions.
  • Alternative volatile emissions, like monoterpenes, can arise from similar metabolic pathways, indicating evolutionary flexibility in plant defense mechanisms.