Project description:affy_genomic_poplar - affy_genomic_poplar - The project aims to identify genes of interest for water deficit acclimation in poplar. We look for genes and gene expression networks related to drought stress in two hybrid cultivars, differing in their drought tolerance in field. Affymetrix poplar genome array was designed on several Populus species. In order to deal with comparative approaches, we checked the convenience of the array by hybridizing genomic DNA of the two hybrid cultivars (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra, namely ‘cv Carpaccio’ and ‘cv Soligo’). This point is important as transcript sequence might have diverged in the two genomes (Fossati et al, 2005), which could lead to absence of hybridization without physiological meaning. -Two poplar cultivars, Soligo (S) and Carpacio (C) were grown in controlled conditions. Mature leaves were collected and genomic DNA was extracted from leaves in CTAB buffer. gDNA was fragmented with DNAse1. DNA fragments were labelled with Biotin N6-ddATP and hybridized on Affymetrix poplar genome array. Two technical replicates per genotype were performed. Keywords: genomic comparison,gain of fuction epimutation
Project description:Just as animal monozygotic twins can experience different environmental conditions by being reared apart, individual genetically-identical trees of the genus Populus can also be exposed to contrasting environmental conditions by being grown in different locations. As such, clonally-propagated Populus trees provide an opportunity to interrogate the impact of individual environmental history on current response to environmental stimuli. To test the hypothesis that current responses to an environmental stimulus, drought, are contingent on environmental history, the transcriptome-level drought responses of three economically important hybrid genotypes: DN34 (Populus deltoides x P. nigra); Walker (P. deltoides var. occidentalis x (P. laurifolia x P. nigra)); and, Okanese (‘Walker’ x (P. laurifolia x P. nigra)) derived from two different locations were compared. Strikingly, differences in transcript abundance patterns in response to drought were based on differences in geographic origin of clones for two of the three genotypes. This observation was most pronounced for the genotypes with the longest time since establishment and last common propagation. Differences in genome-wide DNA methylation paralleled the transcriptome level trends, where the clones with the most divergent transcriptomes and clone history had the most marked differences in the extent of total DNA methylation, suggesting an epigenetic basis for the clone-history-dependent transcriptome divergence. The data provide insights into the interplay between genotype and environment in the ecologically and economically important Populus genus, with implications for both the industrial application of Populus trees, and the evolution and persistence of these important tree species.