Adaptation to salinity in mangroves:Implication on the evolution of salt-tolerance  

作　　者：LIANG Shan ZHOU RenChao DONG SuiSui SHI SuHua 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Key Laboratory of Gene Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University,Guangzhou 510275, China [2]College of Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China

出　　处：《Chinese Science Bulletin》2008年第11期1708-1715,共8页

基　　金：the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 30730008, 30470119, and 30500049)

摘　　要：A plant's adaptation to its environment is one of the most important issues in evolutionary biology. Mangroves are trees that inhabit the intertidal zones with high salinity, while salt tolerance competence of different species varies. Even congeneric species usually occupy distinct positions of intertidal zones due to differential ability of salt tolerance. Some species have different ecotypes that adapt well to littoral and terrestrial environments, respectively. These characteristics of mangroves make them ideal ecological models to study adaptation of mangroves to salinity. Here, we briefly depict adaptive traits of salt tolerance in mangroves with respect to anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, and review the major advances recently made on both the genetic and genomic levels. Results from studies on individual genes or whole genomes of mangroves have confirmed conclusions drawn from studies on anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, and have further indicated that specific patterns of gene ex-pression might contribute to adaptive evolution of mangroves under high salinity. By integrating all information from mangroves and performing comparisons among species of mangroves and non-mangroves, we could give a general picture of adaptation of mangroves to salinity, thus providing a new avenue for further studies on a molecular basis of adaptive evolution of mangroves.A plant＇s adaptation to its environment is one of the most important issues in evolutionary biology. Mangroves are trees that inhabit the intertidal zones with high salinity, while salt tolerance competence of different species varies. Even congeneric species usually occupy distinct positions of intertidal zones due to differential ability of salt tolerance. Some species have different ecotypes that adapt well to littoral and terrestrial environments, respectively. These characteristics of mangroves make them ideal ecological models to study adaptation of mangroves to salinity. Here, we briefly depict adaptive traits of salt tolerance in mangroves with respect to anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, and review the major advances recently made on both the genetic and genomic levels. Results from studies on individual genes or whole genomes of mangroves have confirmed conclusions drawn from studies on anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, and have further indicated that specific patterns of gene ex- pression might contribute to adaptive evolution of mangroves under high salinity. By integrating all information from mangroves and performing comparisons among species of mangroves and non-mangroves, we could give a general picture of adaptation of mangroves to salinity, thus providing a new avenue for further studies on a molecular basis of adaptive evolution of mangroves.

关 键 词：红树林 耐盐性 植物适应性 进化生物学 

分 类 号：Q945.7[生物学—植物学]