De novo transcriptome analysis and comparative expression profiling of genes associated with the taste-modifying protein neoculin in Curculigo latifolia and Curculigo capitulata fruits

Abstract Background Curculigo latifolia is a perennial plant endogenous to Southeast Asia whose fruits contain the taste-modifying protein neoculin, which binds sweet receptors and makes sour taste sweet. Although similar snowdrop ( Galanthus nivalis ) agglutinin (GNA), contains mannose-binding sites in its sequence 3D structure, neoculin lacks such has no lectin activity. Whether of C. other plants and/or GNA family members was unclear. Results Through de novo RNA-seq assembly related capitulata detailed analysis expression patterns neoculin-like genes both species, we assembled 85,697 transcripts from 76,775 using Trinity annotated them public databases. We identified 70,371 unigenes 63,704 . In total, 38.6% 42.6% shared high similarity between two species. ten -related 15 , encoding basic acidic subunits plants. aligned these 25 generated phylogenetic tree. Many orthologs species similarity, despite low number common genes, suggesting that likely existed before diverged. The relative levels differed considerably species: per million (TPM) values were 60 times higher than whereas those 15,000 lower Conclusions genetic diversity strongly suggests underwent duplication during evolution. marked differences their profiles may be due mutations regions involved transcriptional regulation. Comprehensive expressed helped elucidate origin at molecular level.