Evolution of Gene Expression in Spruce (Genus Picea)

ABSTRACT: Diversification of defense-related compounds is a plant defense mechanism against the diverse array of natural enemies in the course of evolution, and is known to involve various sources of tissue. Here a large-scale survey of gene expression is conducted from three different sources of tissue; needles, phloem with the attached bark, and xylem, with an emphasis on the expression of the secondary metabolites of the core phenylpropanoid pathway and derivative pathways, taken together as phenolic defense-related compounds. Five species of spruce; P. abies, P. glauca, P. jezoensis, P. mariana, and P. omorika, spanning much of their known phylogeny, are chosen for cross-species microarray hybridizations. The objectives are: first) to explore the tissue-related differences in the expression of phenolic genes and their coherent role in tree defense; second) to describe the diversification trends in the expression of phenolic gene families with respect to their position in the pathway; and third) to infer the mode of evolution underlying the expression of the selected genes.

ORGANISM(S): Picea mariana Picea jezoensis Picea glauca Picea omorika Picea abies Picea

PROVIDER: GSE18374 | GEO | 2009/10/10

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA118141

REPOSITORIES: GEO