Suberin Biosynthesis and Deposition in the Wound-Healing Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Tuber Model
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Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 12-4-2018 2:30 PM Suberin Biosynthesis and Deposition in the Wound-Healing Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Tuber Model Kathlyn Natalie Woolfson The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Bernards, Mark A. The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Biology A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Doctor of Philosophy © Kathlyn Natalie Woolfson 2018 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Plant Biology Commons Recommended Citation Woolfson, Kathlyn Natalie, "Suberin Biosynthesis and Deposition in the Wound-Healing Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Tuber Model" (2018). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 5935. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/5935 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Suberin is a heteropolymer comprising a cell wall-bound poly(phenolic) domain (SPPD) covalently linked to a poly(aliphatic) domain (SPAD) that is deposited between the cell wall and plasma membrane. Potato tuber skin contains suberin to protect against water loss and microbial infection. Wounding triggers suberin biosynthesis in usually non- suberized tuber parenchyma, providing a model system to study suberin production. Spatial and temporal coordination of SPPD and SPAD-related metabolism are required for suberization, as the former is produced soon after wounding, and the latter is synthesized later into wound-healing. Many steps involved in suberin biosynthesis remain uncharacterized, and the mechanism(s) that regulate and coordinate SPPD and SPAD production and assembly are not understood. To explore the role of abscisic acid (ABA) in the differential regulation of SPPD and SPAD biosynthesis, I subjected wounded tubers to exogenous treatments including additional ABA, or the ABA biosynthesis inhibitor fluridone. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) expression analysis of SPPD and SPAD biosynthetic genes, coupled with metabolite analyses, revealed that ABA positively influenced SPAD-, but not SPPD- associated, transcript and metabolite accumulation, indicating a role for ABA in the differential induction of wound-induced phenolic and aliphatic metabolism. I took an RNA-seq approach to study broader transcriptional changes that occur during wound- healing. The wound-healing transcriptome time-course illustrated that wounding leads to a substantial reconfiguration of transcription, followed by fine-tuning of responses dominated by suberization. Transcriptome analysis revealed that primary metabolic pathways demonstrate similar temporal expression patterns during wound-healing, but suberin-specific steps display distinct patterns at entire pathway and sub-branch levels. The observed transcriptional changes support a model in which wounding initially alters primary metabolism required to fuel SPPD, and subsequent SPAD, production. This investigation also provided support for uncharacterized biosynthetic steps, and highlighted putative transcription factors and suberin polymer assembly genes (Casparian strip membrane domain proteins and GDSL lipase/esterases) that may play i key roles in the regulation and coordination of SPPD and SPAD monomer biosynthesis, polymer assembly and deposition. Overall, my findings offer further insight into the coordination and timing of metabolic and regulatory events involved in wound-healing and associated suberization. Keywords Solanum tuberosum, wound-induced suberization, plant stress response, suberin poly(aliphatic) domain, suberin poly(phenolic) domain, abscisic acid, transcription factors, gene expression, RT-qPCR, RNA-seq, differential expression analysis, gene ontology, gene set analysis ii Co-Authorship Statement Chapter 2 was published as an open access article in The Plant Journal (Woolfson, K.N., Haggitt, M.L., Zhang, Y., Kachura, A., Bjelica, A., Rey Rincon, M.A., Kaberi, K.M. and Bernards, M.A. (2018) Differential induction of polar and non‐polar metabolism during wound‐induced suberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers. The Plant Journal, 93(5), 931-942). I am a co-first author with Meghan L. Haggitt (MLH), and Yanni Zhang (YZ), Alexandra Kachura (AK), Anica Bjelica (AB), M. Alejandra Rey Rincon (MARR), Karina M. Kaberi (KMK) and Mark A. Bernards (MAB) were co-authors. MLH, YZ and AB conducted preliminary studies on suberin metabolism and abscisic acid. I set up largescale experiments to include additional treatments and genes of interest. I conducted RT-qPCR and aided in polar metabolite extractions. AK, KMK and MARR helped with sample preparation, polar and non-polar metabolite extractions and analyses with MAB. MAB supervised the lab work, contributed to experimental conception and design. I drafted the first version of the published work, based on preliminary work in MLH’s thesis, with contributions from MAB and other authors. The majority of data in the published article stems from my work, with 8-month old tuber data and some supplementary material from MLH’s thesis. Chapter 3 is being prepared for publication. I will be the first author, with MAB as co- author. MAB contributed to experimental conception, design, and supervision. I contributed to experimental conception and finalized experimental design, executed all experiments and analyses, and drafted the manuscript, with contributions from MAB. Biosynthetic pathway map figures were prepared by MAB; I identified the corresponding genes for each step and generated the heatmaps. iii Dedication This thesis is dedicated in loving memory to my late grandparents, Dora and Willie Woznica. They came to Canada after World War II in 1951 with nothing, and built a beautiful life here. They only had the chance to complete an elementary school education, but were both incredibly wise and I can only speculate what they could have achieved had they been granted the opportunity. Their inconceivable sacrifices made it possible for me to have the privilege to grow up in Canada and obtain a high level of education in a field that I am passionate about. I remember their emphasis on potatoes as an important food source in their unimaginable tales of survival, and the significance of my study organism is not lost on me. They imparted on me a love and appreciation for food and plants, and I often reflect on their optimistic outlook, resilience and joie de vivre to motivate me during challenging times. iv Acknowledgments Studying the “long and winding road to suberin production” seems like a fitting way to conclude the many years I have spent in school. It would not have been possible for me to reach this point without the support of my family, friends, and peers. To my supervisor, Mark Bernards – I am incredibly fortunate to have pursued my PhD in your lab, and to have had the opportunity to learn so much from you during this time. I am particularly appreciative of your endless support and encouragement, which has driven me to achieve more than I initially thought was possible. Your mentorship has positively influenced my growth and self-confidence as a scientist. I would also like to thank my advisory committee members, Susanne Kohalmi and Frédéric Marsolais, for their constructive guidance along the way. I also appreciate Susanne letting me use her lab facilities and equipment. So much of my thesis work was supported by the technical help and training provided by my peers. Thanks to Trish Tully for teaching me many important protocols, including the two-day long intensive RNA extractions that laid the foundation of my entire PhD thesis. Anica Bjelica – I am incredibly grateful for all of the times you made yourself available to give me technical advice and guidance. I especially acknowledge the invaluable help I received from Tian Wu and Vladimir Zhurov throughout my RNA-seq project – I would still be deep in the weeds if not for your insights and assistance. Thank you to the undergraduate students who worked with me – Alexandra Kachura, Alejandra Rey Rincon, and Karina Kaberi. My lab and office mates, including Dimitre Ivanov, Scarlett Puebla Barragan, Christine Dulal-Whiteway, Mali Mehdizadeh and Kevin Erratt, all provided me with moral support and made my time spent in NCB enjoyable. To my first lab mate and lab mentor, my soulmate and husband, Brendan Walshe-Roussel – I am so grateful that our shared love of plants and mutual research pursuits put us on a path that led us to each other. Thank you for the lessons you have taught me throughout my academic experiences and your unwavering patience and calming influence. I am especially appreciative of the many times you helped me to realize my own growth, that v in turn allowed me to develop confidence in myself and my abilities as a scientist. You have supported and guided me in ways that are unique to our relationship as both lab mates and life mates. You have played such an integral role in so many aspects of my life that I cannot imagine doing any part of this without you. To my parents, Frances and Ken Woolfson, thank you for your encouragement to explore my interests and pursue what I am most passionate about. You have always taught me that I could achieve my goals with hard work and perseverance, but there is no denying how privileged I am to have been born into such a loving and supportive family. I also want to acknowledge my sisters, Jess and Hayley Woolfson, who are the epitome of role models for a budding scientist, and who inspired me to pursue my BSc in Biology in the first place. My sisters and my brother-in-law Dave Dubiner have offered guidance and encouragement over the years as family and as fellow biologists. I am very excited to join the club as the fourth Dr. Woolfson! I am lucky to have grandparents, Molly and Sid Woolfson, who have always been excited to hear my work updates and share how proud they are.