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Title: Volatile monoterpene ‘fingerprints’ of resinous Protium tree species in the Amazon rainforest

Journal Article · · Phytochemistry
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [4]
  1. Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR (Brazil)
  2. National Institute for Amazon Research, Manaus, AM (Brazil); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  3. National Institute for Amazon Research, Manaus, AM (Brazil)
  4. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Volatile terpenoid resins represent a diverse group of plant defense chemicals involved in defense against herbivory, abiotic stress, and communication. However, their composition in tropical forests remains poorly characterized. As a part of tree identification, the 'smell' of damaged trunks is widely used, but is highly subjective. Here, we analyzed trunk volatile monoterpene emissions from 15 species of the genus Protium in the central Amazon. By normalizing the abundances of 28 monoterpenes, 9 monoterpene 'fingerprint' patterns emerged, characterized by a distinct dominant monoterpene. While 4 of the 'fingerprint' patterns were composed of multiple species, 5 were composed of a single species. Moreover, among individuals of the same species, 6 species had a single 'fingerprint' pattern, while 9 species had two or more 'fingerprint' patterns among individuals. A comparison of 'fingerprints' between 2015 and 2017 from 15 individuals generally showed excellent agreement, demonstrating a strong dependence on species identity, but not time of collection. The results are consistent with a previous study that found multiple divergent copies of monoterpene synthase enzymes in Protium. We conclude that the monoterpene 'fingerprint' database has important implications for constraining Protium species identification and phylogenetic relationships and enhancing understanding of physiological and ecological functions of resins and their potential commercial applications.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1506405
Journal Information:
Phytochemistry, Vol. 160, Issue C; ISSN 0031-9422
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 8 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (1)

Volatiles of High-Elevation Five-Needle Pines: Chemical Signatures through Ratios and Insight into Insect and Pathogen Resistance journal January 2020

Figures / Tables (5)

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Figure 2(p. 5)figure Figure 2
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Figure 4(p. 6)figure Figure 4
Figure 5(p. 6)figure Figure 5

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Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Protium spp. (Burseraceae)
Tropical tree identification
Chemotaxonomy
Resins
Volatile organic compounds
Hyperdominant genus
Isoprenoids