Genetic Control of Annual Growth Rhythm in the Conifer Norway Spruce (Picea Abies L. Karst)

Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) is a conifer belonging to the group gymnosperms and is an ecologically and economically important species in several parts of Europe. It is crucial for trees like Norway spruce to adapt timing of events such as bud set and growth cessation to the local environment in order to maximize the growth period while avoiding frost damage. This thesis aims at widening the knowledge about genetic control of annual growth rhythm in Norway spruce and particularly the control of bud set. Using spruce transformants ectopically expressing PaFT/TFL1-LIKE 2 (PaFTL2) the prior hypothesis that PaFTL2 induces bud set is confirmed. This is further supported by spatial and temporal expression patterns in seedlings and adult trees. It is further shown that gymnosperms possess at least two FLOWERING LOCUS T/TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (FT/TFL1)-like genes with TFL1-like function, suggesting the ancestor of FT and TFL1 to be more TFL1-like. PaFTL1 appears to have complementary expression patterns to that of PaFTL2 both spatially and temporally indicating they may act together to control growth in Norway spruce. Since bud set is controlled by photoperiod and circadian clock genes are implicated in this process, putative clock homologs were studied to gain insight into the circadian clock in gymnosperms. Several clock homologs were identified and their expression showed a diurnal pattern but the expression was rapidly damped in constant conditions. Transgenic Arabidopsis expressing putative core clock genes from spruce indicate that at least three genes, PaCCA1, PaGI and PaZTL, appear to have a conserved function between angiosperms and gymnosperms. Taken together these results suggest that gymnosperms have a similar core clock structure as angiosperms even though fundamental differences might exist since the cycling of the clock genes were rapidly damped in free-running conditions. The studies presented in this thesis support substantial conservation of pathway components controlling photoperiodic responses in angiosperms and gymnosperms and identify PaFTL2 as a component of growth rhythm control. However, important changes in these processes are also evident. The results provide a solid basis for future research on molecular mechanisms controlling an adaptive trait in an important non-model organism.