Luis O. Morales

Effects of solar UV-A and UV-B radiation on gene expression and phenolic accumulation in Betula pendula leaves

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an important environmental factor for plant communities; however, plant responses to solar UV are not fully understood. Here, we report differential effects of solar UV-A and UV-B radiation on the expression of flavonoid pathway genes and phenolic accumulation in leaves of Betula pendula Roth (silver birch) seedlings grown outdoors. Plants were exposed for 30 days to six UV treatments created using three types of plastic film. Epidermal flavonoids measured in vivo decreased when UV-B was excluded. In addition, the concentrations of six flavonoids determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry declined linearly with UV-B exclusion, and transcripts of PAL and HYH measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were expressed at lower levels. UV-A linearly regulated the accumulation of quercetin-3-galactoside and quercetin-3-arabinopyranoside and had a quadratic effect on HYH expression. Furthermore, there were strong positive correlations between PAL expression and accumulation of four flavonols under the UV treatments. Our findings in silver birch contribute to a more detailed understanding of plant responses to solar UV radiation at both molecular and metabolite levels.

Multiple Roles for UV RESISTANCE LOCUS8 in Regulating Gene Expression and Metabolite Accumulation in Arabidopsis under Solar Ultraviolet Radiation

Summary: Under natural sunlight, this study demonstrates multiple and complex roles for the UV-B photoreceptor UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 in the acclimation of Arabidopsis plants to UV radiation. Photomorphogenic responses triggered by low fluence rates of ultraviolet B radiation (UV-B; 280–315 nm) are mediated by the UV-B photoreceptor UV RESISTANCE LOCUS8 (UVR8). Beyond our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of UV-B perception by UVR8, there is still limited information on how the UVR8 pathway functions under natural sunlight. Here, wild-type Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and the uvr8-2 mutant were used in an experiment outdoors where UV-A (315–400 nm) and UV-B irradiances were attenuated using plastic films. Gene expression, PYRIDOXINE BIOSYNTHESIS1 (PDX1) accumulation, and leaf metabolite signatures were analyzed. The results show that UVR8 is required for transcript accumulation of genes involved in UV protection, oxidative stress, hormone signal transduction, and defense against herbivores under solar UV. Under natural UV-A irradiance, UVR8 is likely to interact with UV-A/blue light signaling pathways to moderate UV-B-driven transcript and PDX1 accumulation. UVR8 both positively and negatively affects UV-A-regulated gene expression and metabolite accumulation but is required for the UV-B induction of phenolics. Moreover, UVR8-dependent UV-B acclimation during the early stages of plant development may enhance normal growth under long-term exposure to solar UV.

Phylogenetic relationships of Betula species (Betulaceae) based on nuclear ADH and chloroplast matK sequences

The phylogenetic relationships within the genus Betula (Betulaceae) were investigated using a part of the nuclear ADH gene and DNA sequences of the chloroplast matK gene with parts of its flanking regions. Two well-supported phylogenetic groups could be identified in the chloroplast DNA sequence: one containing the three American species B. lenta, B. alleghaniensis, and B. papyrifera and the other including all the other species studied. The ADH gene displayed more variation, and three main groups could be identified. In disagreement with the classical division of the genus Betula, B. schmidtii and B. nana grouped with the species in subgenus Betula, and B. ermanii grouped with species in subgenus Chamaebetula, including B. humilis and B. fruticosa. The ADH phylogeny suggests that several independent polyploidizations within the genus Betula could have taken place. The ADH and chloroplast phylogenies were in part incongruent due to the placement of B. papyrifera. The most likely reason for this seems to be cytoplasmic introgression.

Temporal variation in epidermal flavonoids due to altered solar UV radiation is moderated by the leaf position in Betula pendula.

The physiological mechanisms controlling plant responses to dynamic changes in ambient solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation are not fully understood: this information is important to further comprehend plant adaptation to their natural habitats. We used the fluorimeter Dualex to estimate in vivo the epidermal flavonoid contents by measuring epidermal UV absorbance (A(375) ) in Betula pendula Roth (silver birch) leaves of different ages under altered UV. Seedlings were grown in a greenhouse for 15 days without UV and transferred outdoors under three UV treatments (UV-0, UV-A and UV-A+B) created by three types of plastic film. After 7 and 13 days, Dualex measurements were taken at adaxial and abaxial epidermis of the first three leaves (L1, L2 and L3) of the seedlings. After 14 days, some of the seedlings were reciprocally swapped amongst the treatments to study the accumulation of epidermal flavonoids in the youngest unfolded leaves (L3) during leaf expansion under changing solar UV environments. A(375) of the leaves responded differently to the UV treatment depending on their position. UV-B increased the A(375) in the leaves independently of leaf position. L3 quickly adjusted A(375) in their epidermis according to the UV they received and these adjustments were affected by previous UV exposure. The initial absence of UV-A+B or UV-A, followed by exposure to UV-A+B, particularly enhanced leaf A(375) . Silver birch leaves modulate their protective pigments in response to changes in the UV environment during their expansion, and their previous UV exposure history affects the epidermal-absorbance achieved during later UV exposure.

Epidermal UV-A absorbance and whole-leaf flavonoid composition in pea respond more to solar blue light than to solar UV radiation

Plants synthesize phenolic compounds in response to certain environmental signals or stresses. One large group of phenolics, flavonoids, is considered particularly responsive to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, here we demonstrate that solar blue light stimulates flavonoid biosynthesis in the absence of UV-A and UV-B radiation. We grew pea plants (Pisum sativum cv. Meteor) outdoors, in Finland during the summer, under five types of filters differing in their spectral transmittance. These filters were used to (1) attenuate UV-B; (2) attenuate UV-B and UV-A < 370 nm; (3) attenuate UV-B and UV-A; (4) attenuate UV-B, UV-A and blue light; and (5) as a control not attenuating these wavebands. Attenuation of blue light significantly reduced the flavonoid content in leaf adaxial epidermis and reduced the whole-leaf concentrations of quercetin derivatives relative to kaempferol derivatives. In contrast, UV-B responses were not significant. These results show that pea plants regulate epidermal UV-A absorbance and accumulation of individual flavonoids by perceiving complex radiation signals that extend into the visible region of the solar spectrum. Furthermore, solar blue light instead of solar UV-B radiation can be the main regulator of phenolic compound accumulation in plants that germinate and develop outdoors.

UV-A radiation effects on higher plants: Exploring the known unknown

Ultraviolet-A radiation (UV-A: 315-400nm) is a component of solar radiation that exerts a wide range of physiological responses in plants. Currently, field attenuation experiments are the most reliable source of information on the effects of UV-A. Common plant responses to UV-A include both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on biomass accumulation and morphology. UV-A effects on biomass accumulation can differ from those on root: shoot ratio, and distinct responses are described for different leaf tissues. Inhibitory and enhancing effects of UV-A on photosynthesis are also analysed, as well as activation of photoprotective responses, including UV-absorbing pigments. UV-A-induced leaf flavonoids are highly compound-specific and species-dependent. Many of the effects on growth and development exerted by UV-A are distinct to those triggered by UV-B and vary considerably in terms of the direction the response takes. Such differences may reflect diverse UV-perception mechanisms with multiple photoreceptors operating in the UV-A range and/or variations in the experimental approaches used. This review highlights a role that various photoreceptors (UVR8, phototropins, phytochromes and cryptochromes) may play in plant responses to UV-A when dose, wavelength and other conditions are taken into account.

Are solar UV-B- and UV-A-dependent gene expression and metabolite accumulation in Arabidopsis mediated by the stress response regulator RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1?

Wavelengths in the ultraviolet (UV) region of the solar spectrum, UV-B (280-315 nm) and UV-A (315-400 nm), are key environmental signals modifying several aspects of plant physiology. Despite significant advances in the understanding of plant responses to UV-B and the identification of signalling components involved, there is limited information on the molecular mechanisms that control UV-B signalling in plants under natural sunlight. Here, we aimed to corroborate the previous suggested role for RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1 (RCD1) in UV-B signalling under full spectrum sunlight. Wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and the rcd1-1 mutant were used in an experimental design outdoors where UV-B and UV-A irradiances were manipulated using plastic films, and gene expression, PYRIDOXINE BIOSYNTHESIS1 (PDX1) accumulation and metabolite profiles were analysed in the leaves. At the level of transcription, RCD1 was not directly involved in the solar UV-B regulation of genes with functions in UV acclimation, hormone signalling and stress-related markers. Furthermore, RCD1 had no role on PDX1 accumulation but modulated the UV-B induction of flavonoid accumulation in leaves of Arabidopsis exposed to solar UV. We conclude that RCD1 does not play an active role in UV-B signalling but rather modulates UV-B responses under full spectrum sunlight.

Do UV-A radiation and blue light during growth prime leaves to cope with acute high light in photoreceptor mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana?

We studied how plants acclimated to growing conditions that included combinations of blue light (BL) and ultraviolet (UV)-A radiation, and whether their growing environment affected their photosynthetic capacity during and after a brief period of acute high light (as might happen during an under-canopy sunfleck). Arabidopsis thaliana Landsberg erecta wild-type were compared with mutants lacking functional blue light and UV photoreceptors: phototropin 1, cryptochromes (CRY1 and CRY2) and UV RESISTANT LOCUS 8 (uvr8). This was achieved using light-emitting-diode (LED) lamps in a controlled environment to create treatments with or without BL, in a split-plot design with or without UV-A radiation. We compared the accumulation of phenolic compounds under growth conditions and after exposure to 30 min of high light at the end of the experiment (46 days), and likewise measured the operational efficiency of photosystem II (ϕPSII, a proxy for photosynthetic performance) and dark-adapted maximum quantum yield (Fv /Fm to assess PSII damage). Our results indicate that cryptochromes are the main photoreceptors regulating phenolic compound accumulation in response to BL and UV-A radiation, and a lack of functional cryptochromes impairs photosynthetic performance under high light. Our findings also reveal a role for UVR8 in accumulating flavonoids in response to a low UV-A dose. Interestingly, phototropin 1 partially mediated constitutive accumulation of phenolic compounds in the absence of BL. Low-irradiance BL and UV-A did not improve ϕPSII and Fv /Fm upon our acute high-light treatment; however, CRYs played an important role in ameliorating high-light stress.

Wood decay caused by Heterobasidion parviporum in juvenile wood specimens from normal- and narrow-crowned Norway spruce

Abstract Heterobasidion parviporum (Fr.) Niemelä & Korhonen is a serious forest pathogen affecting the quality of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst), especially in northern hemisphere. Here, we studied the wood decay caused by this pathogen in small wood specimens of 19-year-old normal (P. abies) and narrow crowned (P. abies f. pendula) Norway spruce trees. After six months of incubation, wood specimens taken next to pith (inner) and bark (outer) at 1 m height from the stem base were measured to obtain the percent dry weight loss. The fungal development was also analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). We found that the crown type (or genetic entry) had no effects on the weight loss. However, outer wood specimens lost, on average, more weight than inner ones. Similarly, wood density and content of lignans were lower at outer sections, opposite to the free glucose content. Wood density correlated negatively with the weight loss of wood specimens, regardless of crown type. Considering that narrow- and normal-crowned trees responded similarly to H. parviporum wood decay, our findings support the potential use of narrow-crowned Norway spruce in practical forestry since they can produce higher stem yield at very dense plantation and without thinning requirements.