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Norway spruce deploys tissue-specific responses during acclimation to cold
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  • Alexander Vergara,
  • Julia Haas,
  • Tuuli Aro,
  • Paulina Stachula,
  • Nathaniel Street,
  • Vaughan Hurry
Alexander Vergara
Umeå Plant Science Centre

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Julia Haas
Umeå Plant Science Centre
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Tuuli Aro
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
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Paulina Stachula
Umeå Plant Science Centre
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Nathaniel Street
Umeå University
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Vaughan Hurry
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
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Abstract

Cold acclimation in plants is a complex phenomenon involving numerous stress-responsive transcriptional and metabolic pathways. Existing gene expression studies have primarily addressed cold acclimation responses in herbaceous plants, and few have focused on perennial evergreens, such as conifers, that survive extremely low temperatures during winter. Relative to Arabidopsis leaves, the main transcriptional response of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) needles exposed to cold was delayed, and this delay was associated with slower development of freezing tolerance. Despite this difference in timing, our results indicate that, similar to herbaceous species, Norway spruce principally utilizes early response transcription factors (TFs) of the APETALA 2/ethylene-responsive element binding factor (AP2/ERF) superfamily and NAM (no apical meristem)/ATAF (Arabidopsis Transcription Factors)/CUC (cup shaped cotyledon) (NACs). The needles and root of Norway spruce showed contrasting results, in keeping with their different metabolic and developmental states. Regulatory network analysis identified conserved TFs, including a root-specific bHLH101 homolog, and other members of the same TF family with a pervasive role in cold regulation, such as homologs of ICE1 and AKS3, and also homologs of the NAC (anac47 and anac28) and AP2/ERF superfamilies (DREB2 and ERF3), providing new functional insights into cold stress response strategies in Norway spruce.
24 Sep 2021Submitted to Plant, Cell & Environment
24 Sep 2021Submission Checks Completed
24 Sep 2021Assigned to Editor
30 Sep 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Oct 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Oct 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
12 Nov 20211st Revision Received
12 Nov 2021Submission Checks Completed
12 Nov 2021Assigned to Editor
17 Nov 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
23 Nov 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
23 Nov 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
Feb 2022Published in Plant, Cell & Environment volume 45 issue 2 on pages 427-445. 10.1111/pce.14241