Searching for functional genes that caused adaptive differentiation of two varieties of the genus Thujopsis between the Pacific Ocean side and the Japan Sea side areas

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18723
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Forest science
• Research Institution: Forest Research and Management Organization (2017); Akita Prefectural University (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Inanaga Michiko 国立研究開発法人森林研究・整備機構, 森林総合研究所林木育種センター, 研究員 (30757951)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: アスナロ属 / 局所適応 / トランスクリプトーム解析 / RNA-seq / 低温順化 / クロロフィル蛍光

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Genus Thujopsis is one of the conifer groups endemic in Japan, and the genus consists of two varieties, namely Thujopsis dolabrata var. dolabrata, which distributes mainly along the Pacific Ocean side of the Japanese archipelago, and var. hondai, mainly along the Japan Sea side. As they have quite different distribution ranges, these varieties may be genetically differentiated due to local adaptation. The purpose of this study is searching for genes differentiated between the varieties by transcriptome analysis. The gene expression analysis of leaf samples collected in early January found higher expression of the genes related to disease and stress resistance in var. hondai, while higher expressions of the genes related to flower regulation and flowering were found in var. dolabrata. Based on these results, the two varieties of T. dolabrata may have different response mechanisms to the environmental condition.

Free Research Field

森林遺伝学