Spruce Phenolics: Biosynthesis and Ecological Functions

Hammerbacher, Almuth; Wright, Louwrance P.; Gershenzon, Jonathan

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-21001-4_12

Cited by 9 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 113 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, total phenolic content is no longer considered a good measure of chemical defense against insects [ 33 ]. In more recent years, the structural and functional diversity of spruce phenolics have been much better characterized, and their synthesis from the shikimate pathway is being unravelled [ 17 ]. Complex phenolics like lignins clearly play a structural role in spruce leaves [ 5 ], but other molecules are thought to defend against fungal pathogens or insect attack.…”

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Complex phenolics like lignins clearly play a structural role in spruce leaves [ 5 ], but other molecules are thought to defend against fungal pathogens or insect attack. This defensive role is supported by the fact that phenolic synthesis pathways are upregulated in several spruce tissues, including foliage following fungal infection, insect attack, or treatment with the defense hormone methyl jasmonate [ 17 ]. Nonetheless, few individual phenolic compounds have convincingly been tested for anti-herbivore activity and the evidence for a defensive role of conifer phenolics remains poorly understood [ 34 ].…”

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, few individual phenolic compounds have convincingly been tested for anti-herbivore activity and the evidence for a defensive role of conifer phenolics remains poorly understood [ 34 ]. Some phenolic compounds do accumulate in foliage [ 17 ], but to our knowledge, their phenology is unknown except for the two acetophenones discussed below.…”

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Terpene Synthase genes exhibit high functional diversity, and differential expression leads to a wide range of different blends [ 17 ]. Herbivore damage, pathogen infection or MeJA treatment upregulate terpenoids in different tissues, but it is difficult to disentangle stem vs. leaf responses [ 39 ].…”

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…White spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) is an economically important resource and a foundation species in North American boreal forests. Its genome has recently been sequenced [ 16 , 17 ], and considerable research is underway to examine the genetic architecture of white spruce traits, including investigating the biosynthesis pathways of defensive compounds [ 17 , 18 , 19 ] and attempting to select traits for resistance against herbivores [ 20 ]. However, the phenology and ontogeny of defensive compound expression in foliage has received little attention, despite the fact that many defoliators on white spruce, including the notorious spruce budworm ( Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Defensive Traits during White Spruce (Picea glauca) Leaf Ontogeny

Lirette

Despland

2021

Insects

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Changes during leaf ontogeny affect palatability to herbivores, such that many insects, including the eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)), are specialist feeders on growing conifer leaves and buds. Developmental constraints imply lower toughness in developing foliage, and optimal defense theory predicts higher investment in chemical defense in these vulnerable yet valuable developing leaves. We summarize the literature on the time course of defensive compounds in developing white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) needles and report original research findings on the ontogeny of white spruce needle toughness. Our results show the predicted pattern of buds decreasing in toughness followed by leaves increasing in toughness during expansion, accompanied by opposite trends in water content. Toughness of mature foliage decreased slightly during the growing season, with no significant relationship with water content. Toughness of sun-grown leaves was slightly higher than that of shade-grown leaves. However, the literature review did not support the expected pattern of higher defensive compounds in expanding leaves than in mature leaves, suggesting that white spruce might instead exhibit a fast-growth low-defense strategy.

show abstract

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Review On Phenology Of Spruce Defensive Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Defensive Traits during White Spruce (Picea glauca) Leaf Ontogeny

Lirette

Despland

2021

Insects

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Patterns and roles of lignan and terpenoid accumulation in the reaction zone compartmentalizing pathogen-infected heartwood of Norway spruce

Nagy

Norli

Fongen

et al. 2022

Planta

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Main conclusion Lignan impregnation of the reaction zone wood protects against oxidative degradation by fungi. Traumatic resin canals may play roles in the underlying signal transduction, synthesis, and translocation of defense compounds. Abstract Tree defense against xylem pathogens involves both constitutive and induced phenylpropanoids and terpenoids. The induced defenses include compartmentalization of compromised wood with a reaction zone (RZ) characterized by polyphenol deposition, whereas the role of terpenoids has remained poorly understood. To further elucidate the tree–pathogen interaction, we profiled spatial patterns in lignan (low-molecular-weight polyphenols) and terpenoid content in Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees showing heartwood colonization by the pathogenic white-rot fungus Heterobasidion parviporum. There was pronounced variation in the amount and composition of lignans between different xylem tissue zones of diseased and healthy trees. Intact RZ at basal stem regions, where colonization is the oldest, showed the highest level and diversity of these compounds. The antioxidant properties of lignans obviously hinder oxidative degradation of wood: RZ with lignans removed by extraction showed significantly higher mass loss than unextracted RZ when subjected to Fenton degradation. The reduced diversity and amount of lignans in pathogen-compromised RZ and decaying heartwood in comparison to intact RZ and healthy heartwood suggest that α-conindendrin isomer is an intermediate metabolite in lignan decomposition by H. parviporum. Diterpenes and diterpene alcohols constituted above 90% of the terpenes detected in sapwood of healthy and diseased trees. A significant finding was that traumatic resin canals, predominated by monoterpenes, were commonly associated with RZ. The findings clarify the roles and fate of lignan during wood decay and raise questions about the potential roles of terpenoids in signal transduction, synthesis, and translocation of defense compounds upon wood compartmentalization against decay fungi.

show abstract