Molecular response of forest trees facing climate change

The forest tree`s survival depends on its ability to cope with the ever-changing environment. Being long-lived sessile organisms, trees have developed sensing mechanisms allowing physiological and developmental responses to various environmental cues. These responses are the consequence of orchestrated gene expression, which leads to permanent and transient alterations. Drought stress in plants is expressed by cell turgor loss, which is sensed via receptor-like kinases that activate a whole set of drought-related processes. Survival under drought conditions involves suppression of growth processes and secondary metabolite generation, and activation of processes facilitating water preservation. The latter include active osmotic adjustment by the synthesis of osmolites, such as free sugars. The expression of genes associated with osmotic adjustment seems to be regulated by trehalose-6-phosphate and is negatively correlated with stomatal conductance. Genes related to abscisic-acid, which induces stomatal closure, appear to be expressed in a species-dependent manner. Gene expression profile is an exciting opportunity to take a look behind-the-scenes of forest tree performance in the changing environment.