Comparative transcriptomics analysis revealing flower trichome development during flower development in two Lonicera Japonica Thunb. cultivars using RNA-seq

Background: Trichomes comprise specialized multicellular structures that have the capacity to synthesize and secrete secondary metabolites and protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. However, little is known about the trichome formation mechanism during flower development in Lonicera Japonica Thunb . Results: : Here, we present a genome-wide comparative transcriptome analysis between two L. japonica cultivars, toward the identification of biological processes and functional gene activities that occur during flowering stage trichome development. In this study, the density and average lengths of flower trichomes were at their highest during three green periods. Using the Illumina RNA-Seq method, we obtained 134,304 unigenes, 33,733 of which were differentially expressed. In an analysis of 40 differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) involved in trichome development, 29 of these were transcription factors. The DEGs analysis of plant hormone signal transduction indicated that plant growth and development may be independent of GA and CTK signaling pathways, and plant stress may be independent of JA and ET signaling pathways. We successfully isolated key genes involved in the floral biosynthesis of odors, tastes, colors, and plant hormones, and proposed biosynthetic pathways for sesquiterpenoid, triterpenoid, monoterpenoid, flavonoid, and plant hormones. Furthermore, 82 DEGs were assigned to cell cycles and 2,616 were predicted as plant resistance genes (PRGs). Conclusions: : This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the expression profiles of flower development during the seven developmental stages of L. japonica , thereby offering valuable insights into the molecular networks that underly flower development in L. japonica .