Abstract
Mei (Prunus mume) is a peculiar woody ornamental plant famous for its inviting fragrance in winter. However, in this valuable plant, the mechanism behind floral volatile development remains poorly defined. Therefore, to explore the floral scent formation, a comparative transcriptome was conducted in order to identify the global transcripts specifying flower buds and blooming flowers of P. mume. Differentially expressed genes were identified between the two different stages showing great discrepancy in floral volatile production. Moreover, according to the expression specificity among the organs (stem, root, fruit, leaf), we summarized one gene cluster regulating the benzenoid floral scent. Significant gene changes were observed in accordance with the formation of benzenoid, thus pointing the pivotal roles of genes as well as cytochrome-P450s and short chain dehydrogenases in the benzenoid biosynthetic process. Further, transcription factors like EMISSION OF BENZENOID I and ODORANT I performed the same expression pattern suggesting key roles in the management of the downstream genes. Taken together, these data provide potential novel anchors for the benzenoid pathway, and the insight for the floral scent induction and regulation mechanism in woody plants.
Highlights
Presence of volatiles in the flowers has been a special attraction for humans since antiquity and with time this appeal has permeated several aspects of man’s life
With the scent controlling genes obtained, this transcriptome would lay the basis for revealing biosynthesis pathway of benzenoids, benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde which acted as the vital precursor substance of principal aroma in Mei flower and was enriched in the species of genus Prunus
Vital differences of gene expression between bud stage and squaring stage were observed, Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with transcriptomes of different organs were found, which provided a special view of floral scent formation in P. mume
Summary
Presence of volatiles in the flowers has been a special attraction for humans since antiquity and with time this appeal has permeated several aspects of man’s life. As a matter of fact, they have become integral constituents of cosmetics, perfumes, medicinal products, and flavorings. They are primarily involved in maintaining the ecological bridging of flowers to that of diverse range of visitors (florivores, pollinators, pathogens), thereby playing a significant role in reproductive success and evolutionary variability in plants. Complex lipophilic molecules with low-molecular weight determine the quality of floral scent (Dudareva and Pichersky, 2008) and to date, more than 1,700 floral scent related compounds have been recognized which are synthesized through terpenoid, phenylpropanoid/benzenoid, and fatty acid biosynthetic pathways (Knudsen et al, 2006; Muhlemann et al, 2014)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
