Seasonal variations in location and population structure of endophytes in buds of Scots pine.

We studied the location and distribution of a bacterial isolate, a Mycobacterium sp., in buds of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Using a probe specific for the 16S rRNA of the Mycobacterium sp., the bacterium was found by in situ hybridization in the meristematic tissues of 40% of all bud samples examined. Because we had previously found other bacterial and fungal endophytes in the meristematic tissues of Scots pine buds, we studied their occurrence in buds during shoot development and dormancy. Using probes targeted to the 16S or 18S rRNA of the endophytes Mycobacterium sp., Methylobacterium spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Rhodotorula minuta, endophytes were found in association with growing tissues, with Methylobacterium spp. being the dominant species. Endophytes were detected in abundance before elongation or differentiation of a bud, but once a tissue was fully developed, endophytes were no longer detected. Metabolic activity of the endophytes was suppressed at the onset of, and during, dormancy of Scots pine, but recovered before the following growing season.

Chitinase production in pine callus (Pinus sylvestris L.): a defense reaction against endophytes?

In shoot tip-derived tissue cultures of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), browning and subsequent degeneration of the culture is accompanied by lipid peroxidation and lignification of cells, which are characteristic features of a plant defense reaction. Since chitinases are enzymes acting primarily in plant defense, their expression was studied in pine callus in order to elucidate the defense reaction. Chitinases were present diversely in tissue cultures originating from shoot tips and embryos of P. sylvestris, in contrast to Pinus nigra embryogenic callus, where production of chitinases or browning was not detected. Because endophytic microbes had earlier been detected in buds of Scots pine, their subsequent presence in the tissue cultures was considered a potential cause of the defense reaction. Therefore, the presence of endophytes in the tissue cultures was examined by in situ hybridization. Endophytes were found to colonize heavily in 45% of the tissue cultures of P. sylvestris and to form biofilms, while the P. nigra callus was not found to contain any microbes. The endophytes seemed to propagate uncontrollably once a tissue culture of P. sylvestris was initiated. Regardless of the high level of chitinase production in the callus, the control of the endophytes presumably becomes inadequate during the tissue culture of P. sylvestris.

Changes in cellular structures and enzymatic activities during browning of Scots pine callus derived from mature buds.

Visible browning is a typical feature of callus cultures derived from shoot tips of mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Because the ability of callus to regenerate is low, we determined the effect of browning on growth and changes in cellular structure during culture. Striking alterations in cellular structure were detected by LM (light microscopy), EM (electron microscopy) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). Accumulation of phenolic substances was shown by histochemical staining. Staining for beta-glucosidase activity of soluble proteins that had been subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated lignification of cells. The measured growth rate of callus was low compared with a hypothetical growth curve. Peroxidase activity increased rapidly soon after the start of the culture period, but especially between the second and third weeks of culture. At this time, the degradation of cell membranes and browning began coincident with the loss of chlorophyll. We conclude that browning is associated with cell disorganization and eventual cell death, making tissue culture of mature pine especially difficult.