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Gene co-expression modulating terpene metabolism is associated with plant anti-herbivore defence during initial flowering stages
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  • Zheng Ling,
  • Jingrui Li,
  • Yan Dong,
  • Wen Zhang,
  • Hongtong Bai,
  • Shu Li,
  • Su Wang,
  • Hui Li,
  • Lei Shi
Zheng Ling
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Jingrui Li
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Yan Dong
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Wen Zhang
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Hongtong Bai
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Shu Li
Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences
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Su Wang
Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences
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Hui Li
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Lei Shi
Institute of Botany Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Abstract

To protect themselves from herbivore attacks, especially during early developmental stages, plants produce volatiles possessing various ecological and physiological functions. Here, we identified three genes cloned from Lavandula angustifolia. These genes, designated as LaTPS7, LaTPS8, and LaCYP71D582, were hypothesized to be active in plant defense during early developmental stages. The in-vitro assays showed LaTPS7 produced eight compounds including camphene, myrcene, limonene etc. and LaTPS8 catalyzed nine volatiles from α-pinene, sylvestrene to fenchol etc. using geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and nerolidyl diphosphate (NPP) as substrate separately. However, LaTPS7 present in plastids only, synthesized limonene within Nicotiana benthamiana. Limonene was then converted into carveol by LaCYP71D582 present in the endoplasmic reticulum. LaTPS8, also located in plastids, synthesized α-pinene and sylvestrene. Odour response of aphids (Myzus persicae) and ladybugs (Harmonia axyridis) showed that volatiles from transgenic tobacco leaves repelled aphids and attracted ladybugs. LaTPS7 promoter GUS stain assay in Arabidopsis thaliana showed that LaTPS7 displayed a wound-induced expression in leaves. Together, our findings show that these compounds and gene-expression pattern played important roles in protecting plants during vulnerable stages. More practically, these plant tactics can be exploited in agriculture to decrease the use of insecticides, thereby contributing to improved human and environmental health.