Infl uence of altitude and tree class on climate-growth relationships in a larch plantation in subtropical China

Precise quantifi cation of climate-growth relationships can make a major contribution to scientifi c forest management.However,whether diff erences in the response of growth to climate at diff erent altitudes remains unclear.To answer this,264 trees of Larix kaempferi from 88 plots,representing diff erent altitudinal ranges(1000-2100 m)and tree classes were sampled and used to develop tree-ring chronologies.Tree-ring growth(TRG)was either positively(dominant)or negatively(intermediate and suppressed)correlated with climate in diff erent tree classes at diff erent altitudes.TRG was strongly correlated with growing season at low altitudes,but was less sensitive to climate at middle altitudes.It was mainly limited by precipitation and was highly sensitive to climate at low altitudes.Climate-growth relationships at high altitudes were opposite compared to those at low altitudes.TRG of dominant trees was more sensitive to climate change compared to intermediate and suppressed trees.Climate factors(annual temperatures;moisture,the number of frost-free days)had diff erent eff ects on tree-ring growth of diff erent tree classes along altitudinal gradients.It was concluded that the increase in summer temperatures decreased water availability,resulting in a signifi cant decline in growth rates after 2005 at lower altitudes.L.kaempferi is suitable for planting in middle altitudes and dominant trees were the best sampling choice for accurately assessing climate-growth relationships.

Isolation,expression and single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) analysis of LACCASE gene(LkLAC8) from Japanese larch(Larix kaempferi)

Nucleotide diversity (pi) and linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis based on SNP marker could provide a sound basis for choosing an association analysis method. Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) is an important timber coniferous tree species for pulping and papermaking, but its high lignin content has significantly restricted it application potential. In this study, the LACCASE gene, that plays an important regulatory role for lignin biosynthesis, was selected as research target. The full-length cDNA and genomic sequences of the encoding LkLAC8 gene were isolated from the LACCASE expressed sequence tags of the Japanese larch transcriptome database using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). The cDNA was determined to be 1940 bp, with an open reading frame (ORF, 1734 bp) that encoded a protein of 577 AA. This protein contains four highly specific Cu2+ binding sites and 11 glycosylation sites, thus belonging to the LACCASE family. The deduced protein sequence shared an 89% identity with the PtaLAC from Pinus taeda. A real-time PCR analysis showed that the LkLAC8 transcript was expressed predominantly in mature xylem, with moderate levels in the immature xylem, cambium and mature leaves, the lowest in the roots. Lastly, the genomic sequences of LkLAC8 in 40 individuals from six naturally distributed populations of Japanese larch were amplified, and a total of 201 SNPs (103 and 98 mutation types of transition and transversion, respectively) were detected; the frequency of the SNPs was 1/19 bp. Nucleotide diversity among the six populations ranged from 0.0034 to 0.0053, which suggested that there were no significant differences among the populations. The LD analysis showed that the LD level decayed rapidly within the increasing length of the LkLAC8 gene. These results implied that LD mapping and association analysis based on candidate gene may be feasible for the marker-assisted breeding of new germplasms with low lignin in Japanese larch.

Comparative transcriptome analyses reveal candidate genes regulating wood quality in Japanese larch(Larix kaempferi)

We studied the molecular mechanism of the quality traits of wood formation in larch.We used the immature latewood cells of two Japanese larch(Larix kaempferi)clones with significant differences in density and in microfibrillar angle(MFA)as materials to analyze their gene expression profiles.A total of 1735 differentially expressed genes were detected in immature latewood cells of the two clones,among which,971 were up-regulated and 764 were down-regulated.Digital gene expression profiling analysis revealed that genes encoding transcription factor members NAC66 and R2R3-MYB4,microtubule-associated protein,actin-related protein,cell wall protein members,arabinogalactan protein,Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein and glycine-rich protein,and several cell-wall-synthesis genes affected wood density and MFA by regulating latewood formation at transcriptional level.Our study results represent a basis for selection of quality traits and genetic improvement of larch wood.

Global Lysine Acetylome Analysis of Flower Bud Development in Catalpa bungei

Lysine acetylation,a reversible and dynamic post-translational modification,plays pivotal roles in regulating many biological processes in plants.However,the information of lysine acetylation during flower development of woody angiosperm remains unclear.Herein,we identified a total of 667 lysine acetylation sites in 467 proteins in flower buds of Catalpa Bungei.The acetylated proteins were mainly involved in the pathways of carbon metabolism,glycometabolism and oxidative phosphorylation.Using functional enrichment analysis,61 and 13 acetylated proteins were involved in the glycometabolism and oxidative phosphorylation pathways,respectively.This suggests that lysine acetylated proteins play critical roles in the energy metabolism pathways.Accordingly,the protein–protein interactions were also highly enriched in the carbon metabolic pathway.Integrative analysis of lysine acetylome and transcriptome showed that transcript level changes of seven key lysine-acetylated proteins/genes involved in energy metabolism were significant different during floral transition.Importantly,compared with the normal flowering variety,the expression levels of phosphoribulokinase,phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase,ATP synthase and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex genes were significantly up-regulated at the stages of vegetative and transition buds during early flowering of C.bungei.These data represent the first lysine acetylome in the C.bungei flowers,and can serve as an essential basis for exploring the function of lysine acetylated proteins in the flower bud development of plants.

Mating patterns and pollen dispersal in a Japanese larch(Larix kaempferi) clonal seed orchard： a case study

Pollination dynamics highly determines the genetic quality of seed orchard crops. However, there is less research about the effect of mating patterns on seed productivity of orchard crops. So far, clonal seed orchards have been producing genetically improved seedlings used for most Japanese larch(Larix kaempferi(Lamb.) Carr.) plantations in China. In the present study, a total of 17 highly variable simple sequence repeat(SSR) markers were used for genotyping a progeny trial population consisting of 647 open-pollinated progenies germinated from seeds which were collected from 63 maternal clones with 140 potential paternal clones in a Japanese larch clonal seed orchard in China. Paternity analysis was used in the present case study in order to evaluate the level of paternal gametic contribution, estimate pollen contamination and selfing rates, and investigate pollination patterns,pollen dispersal patterns and the impact of mating patterns on seed productivity of orchard crops. We observed 93.7% of the success rate of the parental assignment, unequal paternal gametic contribution(0–12.4%) with 6.3% of the progenies derived from pollen contamination or unsampled pollen donors, and absence of evidence for selfing. We also found that pollination rate highly depended on the distance between pollen donors and maternal parents, the majority of the identified crossing(65.7%)occurred between clones within a 150-m radius, and large variations in growth performance existed among the paternal halfsiblings. Progeny growth performance(diameter at breast(DBH) and height(HGT)) was measured at Age-20 in order to investigate the impact of mating patterns on timber production of orchard crops. As either the paternal or maternal, two clones(i.e., clones Z38 and Z62) were identified to have produced progenies with higher average stem volume breeding values than that of all of the progenies. Specifically, the genetic gains for volume were 3.53% for the two clones as paternal parents, and 8.26% as the maternal parents at Age-20. Thus, both elite clones were ideal candidates for the construction of next-generation clonal seed orchards due to their synchronous reproductive phenology with greater crossing rate and higher genetic gain. These results improved the pedigree information to provide solid evidence of mating patterns for future design and effective management of seed orchards and for the development of viable long-term breeding strategies for other coniferous species.

Age-related trends in genetic parameters for wood properties in Larix kaempferi clones and implications for early selection

Wood properties are important traits that determine quality of structural wood. With the aim of performing efficient early selection for wood properties we investigated genetic variation in 20 Larix kaempferi clones aged from 4 to 15 years for four quality traits: wood density, wall thickness to lumen area, microfibrillar angle(MFA) and modulus of elasticity(MOE). We observed that age-related trends in overall means varied for differen traits: MFA decreased with the age, while the others generally increased with the age. Phenotypic variance always showed significant differences from the age of 8 years onward, with CVG ranging from 4% to 25%. Also clonal repeatability increased steadily until 9 years old and then kept medium or higher intensity(0.4–0.8). After the age of 6, genetic correlations were generally higher than phenotypic correlations. Estimates of early selection efficiency suggested that the optimal selection age for wood density was at age 5–6 years, while it was 9–10 years for the other traits. In combination with previous results we proposed a comprehensive early selection strategy for larch clonal breeding that involved selection based on nursery rooting ability, phenology, growth traits, and wood properties.

Transcriptome resources and genome-wide marker development for Japanese larch(Larix kaempferi)

While the differential responses of trees to changes in climatic and environmental conditions have been demonstrated as they age,the underlying mechanisms and age control of tree growth and development are complex and poorly understood particularly at a molecular level.In this paper,we present a transcriptome analysis of Larix kaempferi,a deciduous conifer that is widely-grown in the northern hemisphere and of significant ecological and economic value.Using high-throughput RNA sequencing,we obtained about 26 million reads from the stems of 1-,2-,5-,10-,25-and 50-year-old L.kaempferi trees.Combining these with the published Roche 454 sequencing reads and the expressed sequence tags(both mainly from Larix embryogenic cell cultures),we assembled 26670549 reads into 146786 transcripts,of which we annotated 79182 to support investigations of the molecular basis of tree aging and adaption,somatic embryogenesis and wood formation.Using these sequences we also identified many single-nucleotide polymorphisms,simple sequence repeats,and insertion and deletion markers to assist breeding and genetic diversity studies of Larix.

Highlights of special issue on forestry

Forests are a major component of terrestrial ecosystem,therefore they are an invaluable asset that has been bestowed by nature on mankind.Forests enjoy the reputation of'Lungs of the Earth'because they provide residence for both humans and other forms of life,and have multiple functions,including fixing carbon and releasing oxygen,retaining water sources,protecting and nurturing soil,purifying air,breaking wind and fixing sand,accumulating nutrient substances