Genome-wide analysis of long non-coding RNAs in Catalpa bungei and their potential function in floral transition using high-throughput sequencing

作   者：Zhi Wang, Tianqing Zhu, Wenjun Ma, Nan Wang, Guanzheng Qu, Shougong Zhang and Junhui Wang
期刊名称：BMC Gnentics
影响因子：2.469
卷 期 号：
页     码：
关键词：Long non-coding RNAs, Woody plant, Floral transition, RNA-sequencing, Catalpa bungei
论文摘要：
Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have crucial roles in various biological regulatory processes. However,
the study of lncRNAs is limited in woody plants. Catalpa bungei is a valuable ornamental tree with a long cultivation
history in China, and a deeper understanding of the floral transition mechanism in C. bungei would be interesting from
both economic and scientific perspectives.
Results: In this study, we categorized C. bungei buds from early flowering (EF) and normal flowering (NF) varieties into
three consecutive developmental stages. These buds were used to systematically study lncRNAs during floral transition
using high-throughput sequencing to identify molecular regulatory networks. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed
to study RNA expression changes in different stages. In total, 12,532 lncRNAs and 26,936 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were
detected. Moreover, 680 differentially expressed genes and 817 differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected during the
initiation of floral transition. The results highlight the mRNAs and lncRNAs that may be involved in floral transition, as well
as the many lncRNAs serving as microRNA precursors. We predicted the functions of lncRNAs by analysing the
relationships between lncRNAs and mRNAs. Seven lncRNA-mRNA interaction pairs may participate in floral
transition.
Conclusions: This study is the first to identify lncRNAs and their potential functions in floral transition, providing a
starting point for detailed determination of the functions of lncRNAs in C. bungei.