Multi-omics reveal differentiation and maintenance of dimorphic flowers
in an alpine plant on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Abstract
Dimorphic flowers growing on a single individual plant play a critical
role in extreme adaption and reproductive assurance in plants and have
high ecological and evolutionary significance. However, the omics bases
underlying such a differentiation and maintenance remain largely
unknown. We aimed to investigate this through genomic, transcriptome and
metabolomic analyses of dimorphic flowers in an alpine biennial,
Sinoswertia tetraptera (Gentianaceae). A high-quality chromosome-level
genome sequence (903 Mb) was first assembled for S. tetraptera with
31,359 protein-coding genes annotated. Two rounds of recent independent
whole-genome duplication (WGD) were revealed. More than 10% of the
novel genes from the recent species-specific WGD were found to be
differentially expressed in the two types of flowers, and this may have
helped contribute to the origin of this innovative trait. Other
contrasting gene expression between flowers included that related to
flower development and color, hormones, and iridoid biosynthesis.
Metabolomic analyses similarly suggested differential concentrations of
both hormones and iridoids in the two types of flowers. The interactions
between multiple genes may together lead to contrasting morphology and
open versus closed pollination of the dimorphic flowers in this species.
A total of 56 candidate genes were identified from the known iridoid
biosynthesis-related pathways. Two hub genes were found to play an
essential role in transferring intermediate products between leaves and
flowers during iridoid biosynthesis.