Premium
Priming defense genes and metabolites in hybrid poplar by the green leaf volatile cis ‐3‐hexenyl acetate
Author(s) -
Frost Christopher J.,
Mescher Mark C.,
Dervinis Christopher,
Davis John M.,
Carlson John E.,
De Moraes Consuelo M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02599.x
Subject(s) - jasmonic acid , oxylipin , biology , green leaf volatiles , methyl jasmonate , botany , plant defense against herbivory , transcriptome , priming (agriculture) , herbivore , gene , gene expression , biochemistry , germination
Summary• Herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), in addition to attracting natural enemies of herbivores, can serve a signaling function within plants to induce or prime defenses. However, it is largely unknown, particularly in woody plants, which volatile compounds within HIPV blends can act as signaling molecules. • Leaves of hybrid poplar saplings were exposed in vivo to naturally wound‐emitted concentrations of the green leaf volatile (GLV) cis‐3‐hexenyl acetate ( z 3HAC) and then subsequently fed upon by gypsy moth larvae. Volatiles were collected throughout the experiments, and leaf tissue was collected to measure phytohormone concentrations and expression of defense‐related genes. • Relative to controls, z 3HAC‐exposed leaves had higher concentrations of jasmonic acid and linolenic acid following gypsy moth feeding. Furthermore, z 3HAC primed transcripts of genes that mediate oxylipin signaling and direct defenses, as determined by both qRT‐PCR and microarray analysis using the AspenDB 7 K expressed sequence tags (EST) microarray containing c . 5400 unique gene models. Moreover, z 3HAC primed the release of terpene volatiles. • The widespread priming response suggests an adaptive benefit to detecting z 3HAC as a wound signal. Thus, woody plants can detect and use z 3HAC as a signal to prime defenses before actually experiencing damage. GLVs may therefore have important ecological functions in arboreal ecosystems.