Poplar as a tree model for horticulture and beyond: a case study of genome-scale changes in gene expression during bud entry and release from dormancy.

摘要

With the available genomic sequence and other experimental attributes, poplar has emerged as a leading candidate to study traits specific to woody perennial plants. Genomic and molecular knowledge gained from studies related to flowering, stem development, tree architecture, phenology and dormancy can be extended readily to woody species in forestry and horticulture. As an example of the value and transferability of poplar genomic studies to tree biology, we conducted a genome-wide transcript analysis study utilizing a NimbleGen microarray representing 65,966 individual gene sequences derived from the poplar genome sequence. The investigation included more than 20 tissue types and several developmental sequences. Presented here is a preliminary analysis of changes in gene expression during entry into and exit from bud dormancy. Potential applications of these data include identification of candidate genes for studying natural polymorphisms, targets for reverse genetic studies, target promoters for control of gene expression, and tools for many forms of marker-aided breeding and genetic engineering of woody plant growth and development.