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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2018

Ethylene signaling induces gelatinous layers with typical features of tension wood in hybrid aspen

Felten, Judith; Vahala, Jorma; Love, Jonathan; Gorzsas, Andras; Ruggeberg, Markus; Delhomme, Nicolas; Lesniewska, Joanna; Kangasjarvi, Jaakko; Hvidsten, Torgeir R.; Mellerowicz, Ewa J.; Sundberg, Bjorn

Abstract

The phytohormone ethylene impacts secondary stem growth in plants by stimulating cambial activity, xylem development and fiber over vessel formation. We report the effect of ethylene on secondary cell wall formation and the molecular connection between ethylene signaling and wood formation.We applied exogenous ethylene or its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) to wild-type and ethylene-insensitive hybrid aspen trees (Populus tremulaxtremuloides) and studied secondary cell wall anatomy, chemistry and ultrastructure. We furthermore analyzed the transcriptome (RNA Seq) after ACC application to wild-type and ethylene-insensitive trees.We demonstrate that ACC and ethylene induce gelatinous layers (G-layers) and alter the fiber cell wall cellulose microfibril angle. G-layers are tertiary wall layers rich in cellulose, typically found in tension wood of aspen trees. A vast majority of transcripts affected by ACC are downstream of ethylene perception and include a large number of transcription factors (TFs). Motif-analyses reveal potential connections between ethylene TFs (Ethylene Response Factors (ERFs), ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 3/ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3-LIKE1 (EIN3/EIL1)) and wood formation.G-layer formation upon ethylene application suggests that the increase in ethylene biosynthesis observed during tension wood formation is important for its formation. Ethylene-regulated TFs of the ERF and EIN3/EIL1 type could transmit the ethylene signal.

Keywords

cell wall; ethylene signaling; gelatinous layer (G-layer); hybrid aspen; tension wood; transcriptome

Published in

New Phytologist
2018, volume: 218, number: 3, pages: 999-1014

Authors' information

Felten, Judith (Lundberg-Felten, Judith)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Vahala, Jorma
University of Helsinki
Love, Jonathan
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Gorzsas, Andras
Umeå University
Rüggeberg, Markus
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Lesniewska, Joanna
University of Białystok
Kangasjärvi, Jaakko
University of Helsinki
Hvidsten, Torgeir R.
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology

UKÄ Subject classification

Cell Biology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Botany

Publication Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15078

URI (permanent link to this page)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/94596