AUTHOR=Torres-Silva Gabriela , Correia Ludmila Nayara Freitas , Batista Diego Silva , Koehler Andréa Dias , Resende Sheila Vitória , Romanel Elisson , Cassol Daniela , Almeida Ana Maria Rocha , Strickler Susan R. , Specht Chelsea Dvorak , Otoni Wagner Campos 

TITLE=Transcriptome Analysis of Melocactus glaucescens (Cactaceae) Reveals Metabolic Changes During in vitro Shoot Organogenesis Induction

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.697556

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2021.697556

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Melocactus glaucescens</italic> is an endangered cactus highly valued for its ornamental properties. <italic>In vitro</italic> shoot production of this species provides a sustainable alternative to overharvesting from the wild; however, its propagation could be improved if the genetic regulation underlying its developmental processes were known. The present study generated <italic>de novo</italic> transcriptome data, describing <italic>in vitro</italic> shoot organogenesis induction in <italic>M. glaucescens</italic>. Total RNA was extracted from explants before (control) and after shoot organogenesis induction (treated). A total of 14,478 unigenes (average length, 520 bases) were obtained using Illumina HiSeq 3000 (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) sequencing and transcriptome assembly. Filtering for differential expression yielded 2,058 unigenes. Pairwise comparison of treated vs. control genes revealed that 1,241 (60.3%) unigenes exhibited no significant change, 226 (11%) were downregulated, and 591 (28.7%) were upregulated. Based on database analysis, more transcription factor families and unigenes appeared to be upregulated in the treated samples than in controls. Expression of <italic>WOUND INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION 1</italic> (<italic>WIND1</italic>) and <italic>CALMODULIN</italic> (<italic>CaM</italic>) genes, both of which were upregulated in treated samples, was further validated by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Differences in gene expression patterns between control and treated samples indicate substantial changes in the primary and secondary metabolism of <italic>M. glaucescens</italic> after the induction of shoot organogenesis. These results help to clarify the molecular genetics and functional genomic aspects underlying propagation in the Cactaceae family.</p>