Differential gene expression associated with a floral scent polymorphism in the evening primrose Oenothera harringtonii (Onagraceae)

摘要: Abstract Background Plant volatiles play an important role in both plant-pollinator and plant-herbivore interactions. Intraspecific polymorphisms volatile production are ubiquitous, but studies that explore underlying differential gene expression rare. Oenothera harringtonii populations polymorphic floral emission of the monoterpene (R)-(-)-linalool; some plants emit (R)-(-)-linalool (linalool+ plants) while others do not (linalool-plants). However, genes associated with this unknown. We used RNA-Seq to broadly characterize involved biosynthesis. To identify may be polymorphism for trait, we compare six different tissues from each three linalool+ linalool-plants. Results Three clusters differentially expressed were enriched terpene synthase activity: two characterized by tissue-specific upregulation one only flowers produce (R)-(-)-linalool. A molecular phylogeny all synthases identified putative transcripts harringtonii, a single allele which is found exclusively plants. Conclusions By using naturally occurring comparing tissues, able putatively biosynthesis Expression these linalool-plants suggests regulatory polymorphism, rather than population-specific loss-of-function allele. Additional biosynthesis-related up-regulated herbivore defense, suggesting potential economy scale between plant reproduction defense.