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

萜类化合物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基因来制造萜类化合物。我们对这些萜类化合物的化学和作用的了解仅限于树叶，但几乎一半的基因存在于根、木材和树皮中，几乎不知道它们的作用是什么。该项目将对桉树中的萜类进行首次全面研究，以确定它们是在哪里以及如何在植物中制造的，主要化合物是如何演变的，以及萜类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.