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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321082
Title: Organ-specific transcriptome profiling of metabolic and pigment biosynthesis pathways in the floral ornamental progenitor species Anthurium amnicola Dressler

Author
item Suzuki, Jon
item AMORE, TERESITA - University Of Hawaii
item Calla, Bernarda
item Palmer, Nathan - Nate
item Scully, Erin
item Sattler, Scott
item Sarath, Gautam
item LICHTY, JOANNE - University Of Hawaii
item Myers, Roxana
item Keith, Lisa
item Matsumoto Brower, Tracie
item Geib, Scott

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2017
Publication Date: 5/4/2017
Citation: Suzuki, J.Y., Amore, T.D., Calla Zalles, B., Palmer, N.A., Scully, E.D., Sattler, S.E., Sarath, G., Lichty, J.S., Myers, R.Y., Keith, L.M., Matsumoto, T.K., Geib, S.M. 2017. Organ-specific transcriptome profiling of metabolic and pigment biosynthesis pathways in the floral ornamental progenitor species Anthurium amnicola Dressler. Scientific Reports. 7:1596.

Interpretive Summary: Anthurium amnicola is a species that possesses a number of desirable ornamental characteristics such as proficient growth, upright spathe, purple colored spathes and floral scent, some of which have been passed down through hybridization to modern Anthurium cultivars. Modern sequencing methods were used to determine the identity of expressed genes from RNA of four organ types from Anthurium amnicola with the long term goal of deciphering what and how ornamentally useful traits and genes from wildtype parents are acquired through hybridization, crossing and selection. The identification and characterization of Anthurium genes associated with these traits will be invaluable for development of tools currently unavailable from any system for commercial and ornamental improvement of Anthurium.

Technical Abstract: Anthurium amnicola Dressler possesses a number of desirable and novel ornamental traits such as a purple-colored upright spathe, profuse flowering, and floral scent, some of which have been introgressed into modern Anthurium cultivars. As a first step in identifying genes associated with these traits, the transcriptome from root, leaf, spathe, and spadix from an accession of A. amnicola was assembled, resulting in 28,019 putative transcripts representing 19,458 unigenes. Significant expression differences between at least two organ types were observed for over 10,000 unigenes. Genes involved in pigmentation, including those for the metabolism of chlorophyll and the biosynthesis of carotenoids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids, were identified. The expression levels of one MYB transcription factor was highly correlated with naringenin 3-dioxygenase (F3H) and dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR), whereas a second bHLH transcription factor was highly correlated with flavonoid 3’-monooxygenase (F3’H), suggesting that these two transcription factors might regulate flavonoid and anthocyanin synthesis in A. amnicola. Gene sequence and expression data from four major organs of A. amnicola provide novel basal information for understanding the genetic bases of ornamental traits and the determinants and evolution of form and function in the Araceae.