Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Pages: 140-

Journal: BMC Genomics

Volume number: 15

ISSN: 1471-2164

eISSN: 1471-2164

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-15-140

Publisher: BioMed Central

Abstract: 

Background

Arabidopsis thaliana,
a member of the Brassicaceae family is the dominant genetic model
plant. However, while the flowers within the Brassicaceae members are
rather uniform, mainly radially symmetrical, mostly white with fixed
organ numbers, species within the Cleomaceae, the sister family to the
Brassicaceae show a more variable floral morphology. We were interested
in understanding the molecular basis for these morphological
differences. To this end, the floral transcriptome of a hybrid Tarenaya hassleriana, a Cleomaceae with monosymmetric, bright purple flowers was sequenced, annotated and analyzed in respect to floral regulators.

Results

We obtained a comprehensive floral
transcriptome with high depth and coverage close to saturation analyzed
using rarefaction analysis a method well known in biodiversity studies.
Gene expression was analyzed by calculating reads per kilobase gene
model per million reads (RPKM) and for selected genes in silico
expression data was corroborated by qRT-PCR analysis. Candidate
transcription factors were identified based on differences in expression
pattern between A. thaliana and T. hassleriana, which are likely key regulators of the T. hassleriana
specific floral characters such as coloration and male sterility in the
hybrid plant used. Analysis of lineage specific genes was carried out
with members of the fabids and malvids.

Conclusions

The floral transcriptome of T. hassleriana
provides insights into key pathways involved in the regulation of late
anthocyanin biosynthesis, male fertility, flowering time and organ
growth regulation which are unique traits compared the model organism A. thaliana.
Analysis of lineage specific genes carried out with members of the
fabids and malvids suggests an extensive gene birth rate in the lineage
leading to core Brassicales while only few genes were potentially lost
during core Brassicales evolution, which possibly reflects the result of
the At-β whole genome duplication. Our analysis should facilitate
further analyses into the molecular mechanisms of floral morphogenesis
and pigmentation and the mechanisms underlying the rather diverse floral
morphologies in the Cleomaceae.

Harvard Citation style: Bhide, A., Schliesky, S., Reich, M., Weber, A. and Becker, A. (2014) Analysis of the floral transcriptome of Tarenaya hassleriana (Cleomaceae), a member of the sister group to the Brassicaceae: towards understanding the base of morphological diversity in Brassicales, BMC Genomics, 15, p. 140. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-15-140

APA Citation style: Bhide, A., Schliesky, S., Reich, M., Weber, A., & Becker, A. (2014). Analysis of the floral transcriptome of Tarenaya hassleriana (Cleomaceae), a member of the sister group to the Brassicaceae: towards understanding the base of morphological diversity in Brassicales. BMC Genomics. 15, 140. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-15-140