Study reveals how a tall spruce develops defense against hungry weevils


Date:
July 10, 2023
Source:
North Carolina State University
Summary:
A study has identified genes involved in development of stone
cells - - rigid cells that can block a nibbling insect from eating
budding branches of the Sitka spruce evergreen tree. The insect's
attack has stunted the growth of these forest giants.


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FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A study led by a North Carolina State University researcher identified
genes involved in development of stone cells -- rigid cells that can
block a nibbling insect from eating budding branches of the Sitka spruce evergreen tree. The insect's attack has stunted the growth of these
forest giants.

The new findings could help researchers breed genetically improved Sitka
spruce trees resistant to the spruce weevil (Pissodes strobi).

"We wanted to learn about the genetic basis for natural pest
resistance that certain Sitka spruce trees have evolved to prevent
insects from feeding on the plant," said Justin Whitehill, assistant
professor of Christmas tree genetics at NC State and first author of
the study. Whitehill started the study as a postdoctoral researcher at
the University of British Columbia, where the laboratory experiments
were completed.

"The trait we studied in Sitka spruce is a physical defense known
as stone cells, which are found in almost all plant species," said
Whitehill. "They are responsible for the gritty texture you feel
when eating a pear. Stone cell development is very complex, involving
thousands of genes. We identified some of the genetics involved in the
key early steps for these cells' development." The Sitka spruce is
a large conifer tree that grows on the West Coast from California to
Alaska. While the tree has been replaced with other species for timber
products in North America because of susceptibility to the weevil,
it is still a prominent timber species in Europe. Many trees grown on
the West Coast for forestry products were derived from a fast-growing population that grew on an island and were never exposed to the weevil,
which left them extremely susceptible, Whitehill said.

However, a group of resistant Sitka spruce trees was discovered in
Canada that develop stone cells, a rigid cell type that only grow in
less than an inch of the top of budding branches -- the same area where
the weevil feeds.

"The stone cells slow down the progression of the insect and give time
for the resin found in the trees' bark to coat the insect and make it too sticky to feed more," Whitehill said. "Stone cells block these insects as
they try to eat through the plant and slow them down enough to prevent
them from causing significant damage to the tree." In their recent
study, researchers found nearly 1,300 genes that were expressed at higher levels in stone cells. They also identified a key gene that functions as a "master switch" and is responsible for activating thousands of other genes known to control the development of thick-walled cells in other plants.

"This paper lays out a roadmap of the genes involved in stone-cell development," Whitehill said. "We're showing it's strongly controlled
by genetics involved in secondary cell walls." Key to the researchers'
study was a microdissection tool that uses a laser to cut extremely
tiny slices of tissue into thin sections. Researchers were able to cut
tiny sections from the buds of actively growing Sitka spruce branches to
study genes expressed specifically in stone cells during their formation.

Whitehill said he has received funding to bring an updated version of
this technology to NC State. Now, researchers here are using laser microdissection to study genes in the Fraser fir tree -- a leading
Christmas tree in the United States grown in western North Carolina. They
are using this technology to investigate important features that could
boost the viability, fragrance and pest resilience of the Fraser fir,
a tree with a genome size five times bigger than humans.

"We're using this approach now to look for genes involved in resistance
to pathogens and pests, and to understand complex ecological interactions
at the genetic level," Whitehill said.

The paper, "Transcriptome features of stone cell development in weevil- resistant and susceptible Sitka spruce," was published online in
New Phytologist. Co-authors included Macaire M.S. Yuen, Angela Chiang
(current NC State Christmas Tree Genetics program lab manager and research associate), Carol E. Ritland and Jo"rg Bohlmann. The work was supported
by funds from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of
Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grants Program, and from the Genome Canada,
Genome British Columbia, and Genome Quebec SpruceUp Project (243FOR).

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Story Source: Materials provided
by North_Carolina_State_University. Original written by Laura
Oleniacz. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Justin G. A. Whitehill, Macaire M. S. Yuen, Angela Chiang, Carol E.

Ritland, Jo"rg Bohlmann. Transcriptome features of stone cell
development in weevil‐resistant and susceptible Sitka
spruce. New Phytologist, 2023; DOI: 10.1111/nph.19103 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230710113929.htm

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