Full Text

Turn on search term navigation

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

The holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) is the dominant tree species of the Mediterranean forest and the Spanish agrosilvopastoral ecosystem, “dehesa.” It has been, since the prehistoric period, an important part of the Iberian population from a social, cultural, and religious point of view, providing an ample variety of goods and services, and forming the basis of the economy in rural areas. Currently, there is renewed interest in its use for dietary diversification and sustainable food production. It is part of cultural richness, both economically (tangible) and environmentally (intangible), and must be preserved for future generations. However, a worrisome degradation of the species and associated ecosystems is occurring, observed in an increase in tree decline and mortality, which requires urgent action. Breeding programs based on the selection of elite genotypes by molecular markers is the only plausible biotechnological approach. To this end, the authors’ group started, in 2004, a research line aimed at characterizing the molecular biology of Q. ilex. It has been a challenging task due to its biological characteristics (long life cycle, allogamous, high phenotypic variability) and recalcitrant nature. The biology of this species has been characterized following the central dogma of molecular biology using the omics cascade. Molecular responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as seed maturation and germination, are the two main objectives of our research. The contributions of the group to the knowledge of the species at the level of DNA-based markers, genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are discussed here. Moreover, data are compared with those reported for Quercus spp. All omics data generated, and the genome of Q. ilex available, will be integrated with morphological and physiological data in the systems biology direction. Thus, we will propose possible molecular markers related to resilient and productive genotypes to be used in reforestation programs. In addition, possible markers related to the nutritional value of acorn and derivate products, as well as bioactive compounds (peptides and phenolics) and allergens, will be suggested. Subsequently, the selected molecular markers will be validated by both genome-wide association and functional genomic analyses.

Details

Title
Multiomics Molecular Research into the Recalcitrant and Orphan Quercus ilex Tree Species: Why, What for, and How
Author
Maldonado-Alconada, Ana María 1 ; María Ángeles Castillejo 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; María-Dolores Rey 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Labella-Ortega, Mónica 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Tienda-Parrilla, Marta 1 ; Hernández-Lao, Tamara 1 ; Honrubia-Gómez, Irene 1 ; Ramírez-García, Javier 1 ; Guerrero-Sanchez, Víctor M 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; López-Hidalgo, Cristina 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Valledor, Luis 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Navarro-Cerrillo, Rafael M 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Jorrin-Novo, Jesús V 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Agroforestry and Plant Biochemistry, Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Cordoba, UCO-CeiA3, 14014 Cordoba, Spain 
 Agroforestry and Plant Biochemistry, Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Cordoba, UCO-CeiA3, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; Cardiovascular Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), 28029 Madrid, Spain 
 Agroforestry and Plant Biochemistry, Proteomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Cordoba, UCO-CeiA3, 14014 Cordoba, Spain; Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University Institute of Biotechnology of Asturias (IUBA), University of Oviedo, 33006 Asturias, Spain 
 Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University Institute of Biotechnology of Asturias (IUBA), University of Oviedo, 33006 Asturias, Spain 
 Evaluation and Restoration of Agronomic and Forest Systems ERSAF, Department of Forest Engineering, University of Córdoba, 14014 Cordoba, Spain 
First page
9980
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
16616596
e-ISSN
14220067
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2711368090
Copyright
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.