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Histology and cell wall biochemistry of stone cells in the physical defence of conifers against insects
Author(s) -
Whitehill Justin G. A.,
Henderson Hannah,
Schuetz Mathias,
Skyba Oleksandr,
Yuen Macaire Man Saint,
King John,
Samuels A. Lacey,
Mansfield Shawn D.,
Bohlmann Jörg
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/pce.12654
Subject(s) - biology , weevil , lignin , cell wall , botany , shoot , secondary cell wall , cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase , gene , biochemistry , biosynthesis
Conifers possess an array of physical and chemical defences against stem‐boring insects. Stone cells provide a physical defence associated with resistance against bark beetles and weevils. In Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis ), abundance of stone cells in the cortex of apical shoots is positively correlated with resistance to white pine weevil ( Pissodes strobi ). We identified histological, biochemical and molecular differences in the stone cell phenotype of weevil resistant (R) or susceptible (S) Sitka spruce genotypes. R trees displayed significantly higher quantities of cortical stone cells near the apical shoot node, the primary site for weevil feeding. Lignin, cellulose, xylan and mannan were the most abundant components of stone cell secondary walls, respectively. Lignin composition of stone cells isolated from R trees contained a higher percentage of G‐lignin compared with S trees. Transcript profiling revealed higher transcript abundance in the R genotype of coumarate 3‐hydroxylase, a key monolignol biosynthetic gene. Developing stone cells in current year apical shoots incorporated fluorescent‐tagged monolignol into the secondary cell wall, while mature stone cells of previous year apical shoots did not. Stone cell development is an ephemeral process, and fortification of shoot tips in R trees is an effective strategy against insect feeding.