Re-evaluating the nature, origins and roles of terpenes in Eucalyptus

萜烯赋予桉树特有的气味，并调节树木与环境之间的许多相互作用。对基因组的研究表明，桉树比任何其他植物都有更多的制造萜烯的基因。我们对这些萜烯的化学成分和作用的了解仅限于叶子，但几乎一半的基因存在于根、木材和树皮中，人们对它们的作用知之甚少。该项目将对桉树中的萜烯进行首次全面研究，以确定它们在植物中的制造地点和方式，主要化合物是如何进化的，以及萜烯如何有助于抵御昆虫、大气排放和土壤成分。

Terpenes give eucalypts their characteristic smell and mediate many interactions between trees and the environment. Studies of the genome show that eucalypts have more genes to make terpenes than any other plant. Our knowledge of the chemistry and roles of these terpenes is confined to leaves but almost half of the genes occur in roots, wood and bark and there is little idea what their roles are. This project will conduct the first comprehensive study of terpenes in Eucalyptus to identify where and how they are made in the plant, how the major compounds evolved and how terpenes contribute to defence against insects, atmospheric emissions and the composition of soil.