Analysis of mechanisms of environmental responses based on profiling of organ-specific gene expressions in plants

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06861
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45040:Ecology and environment-related
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Araki Kiwako 立命館大学, 生命科学部, 講師 (30580930)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 地下茎 / クローナル植物 / クローン成長 / 遺伝子発現 / 生物防御応答 / 季節変化 / 土壌環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A study was conducted to elucidate the environmental responses based on the growth and gene expression pattern of rhizomes, underground stems, derived from the shoot apical meristem of plants and extended horizontally in the soil. In the field environment, it was confirmed that the gene expression pattern gradually changed with the expansion and development of rhizomes, but the biological defense responses were maintained as the subterranean part. It was also found that this responsiveness was related to the soil environment and the rhizomatous behaviors, while the responses were different between rhizomes and roots of underground organs. As conclusion, this study clarified that both the above- and under-ground environments affect the development and responsiveness of rhizomes, and that rhizomes plastically respond to heterogeneous environment in the soil with maintaining its responsiveness stably to the seasonal changes and underground environment.

Free Research Field

植物生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は地上と地下の環境を連続的に伸長する地下茎に着目して，器官特異的な環境応答を遺伝子発現パターンから調べた．地下茎の防御応答が維持され，土壌環境によりその程度が変化するという結果は，土壌中の植物と環境の相互作用に対する知見であることに加え，防御応答が生存にとって必須であることを示している．地下茎は次世代の株を形成することから，この応答性は適応度を高める上でも重要な機構であると考えられ，野生植物の環境適応メカニズムの解明につながるものである．地下部器官でクローン成長を行う種は外来植物や農作物にも広く見られ，増殖抑制や生産性向上などの技術にもつなげられることが期待される．