Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of Eucalyptus

IntroductionCold weather poses a significant challenge to the growth of crops and subtropical tree species like Eucalyptus. Exposure of plants to stressful temperatures generates changes in their physiology resulting from modifications in gene expression and extensive metabolic reorganization. A dir...

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Main Authors: Patricia Basile, Federico Wallace, Cristina Olivaro, Nicolás De Palma, Omar Borsani, Arthur Fett-Neto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2025.1584132/full
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author Patricia Basile
Federico Wallace
Cristina Olivaro
Nicolás De Palma
Omar Borsani
Arthur Fett-Neto
author_facet Patricia Basile
Federico Wallace
Cristina Olivaro
Nicolás De Palma
Omar Borsani
Arthur Fett-Neto
author_sort Patricia Basile
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionCold weather poses a significant challenge to the growth of crops and subtropical tree species like Eucalyptus. Exposure of plants to stressful temperatures generates changes in their physiology resulting from modifications in gene expression and extensive metabolic reorganization. A direct comparison of several biochemical changes under cold exposure of leaf tissues of E. dunnii and E. grandis clones was carried out.MethodsLeaf discs of E. grandis and E. dunnii were initially maintained for 24 h at 25°C and then 4 days at 6°C to induce cold stress. Sampling was conducted at 0 h (control condition), 2 and 4 days. Several biochemical parameters were measured, and an untargeted metabolomics approach based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to linear ion trap mass spectrometry fingerprinting was carried out.ResultsResults indicated distinct cold tolerance strategies in Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus dunnii. Eucalyptus dunnii initiated protective mechanism activation after a 2-day exposure period with the accumulation of sugars and phenolic compounds, whereas E. grandis did so after 4 days, accumulating proline and anthocyanins. PLS-DA based on UHPLC-MS fingerprints revealed a clear species-specific effect across the metabolome. This effect was greater than the differences between cold temperatures. Additionally, this methodology allowed the putative identification of 16 phenolic marker compounds with high discriminant potential to differentiate the cold response in these two species.
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spelling doaj-art-ed43db29c16645a687aee358d950214b2025-08-20T03:07:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences2296-889X2025-06-011210.3389/fmolb.2025.15841321584132Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of EucalyptusPatricia Basile0Federico Wallace1Cristina Olivaro2Nicolás De Palma3Omar Borsani4Arthur Fett-Neto5Espacio de Biología Vegetal del Noreste, CENUR Noreste, Universidad de la República, Tacuarembó, UruguayEspacio de Ciencia y Tecnología Química, CENUR Noreste, Universidad de la República, Tacuarembó, UruguayEspacio de Ciencia y Tecnología Química, CENUR Noreste, Universidad de la República, Tacuarembó, UruguayPlant Physiology Laboratory, Center for Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, BrazilDepartamento de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, UruguayPlant Physiology Laboratory, Center for Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, BrazilIntroductionCold weather poses a significant challenge to the growth of crops and subtropical tree species like Eucalyptus. Exposure of plants to stressful temperatures generates changes in their physiology resulting from modifications in gene expression and extensive metabolic reorganization. A direct comparison of several biochemical changes under cold exposure of leaf tissues of E. dunnii and E. grandis clones was carried out.MethodsLeaf discs of E. grandis and E. dunnii were initially maintained for 24 h at 25°C and then 4 days at 6°C to induce cold stress. Sampling was conducted at 0 h (control condition), 2 and 4 days. Several biochemical parameters were measured, and an untargeted metabolomics approach based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to linear ion trap mass spectrometry fingerprinting was carried out.ResultsResults indicated distinct cold tolerance strategies in Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus dunnii. Eucalyptus dunnii initiated protective mechanism activation after a 2-day exposure period with the accumulation of sugars and phenolic compounds, whereas E. grandis did so after 4 days, accumulating proline and anthocyanins. PLS-DA based on UHPLC-MS fingerprints revealed a clear species-specific effect across the metabolome. This effect was greater than the differences between cold temperatures. Additionally, this methodology allowed the putative identification of 16 phenolic marker compounds with high discriminant potential to differentiate the cold response in these two species.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2025.1584132/fullEucalyptus grandisEucalyptus dunniicold stressbiochemical responsesmetabolomic
spellingShingle Patricia Basile
Federico Wallace
Cristina Olivaro
Nicolás De Palma
Omar Borsani
Arthur Fett-Neto
Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of Eucalyptus
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
Eucalyptus grandis
Eucalyptus dunnii
cold stress
biochemical responses
metabolomic
title Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of Eucalyptus
title_full Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of Eucalyptus
title_fullStr Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of Eucalyptus
title_full_unstemmed Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of Eucalyptus
title_short Cold-induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of Eucalyptus
title_sort cold induced biochemical changes in leaves of two commercial clones of eucalyptus
topic Eucalyptus grandis
Eucalyptus dunnii
cold stress
biochemical responses
metabolomic
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2025.1584132/full
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