Transcriptome analysis reveals the molecular patterns regulating prickle reduction in grafted Zanthoxylum armatum

Grafting has been found to effectively reduce the prickly nature of Zanthoxylum armatum seedlings, but molecular mechanisms are unclear. A comparative transcriptome analysis was performed on stems (JJ) and leaves (JY) grafted (SJ) (SY) non-grafted seedlings. The authors obtained 3097, 2124, 5995, 5043 differentially expressed genes from JJ vs. SJ, JY SY, JJ, SY SJ with 17 co-expressed genes. RNA-seq results were confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis. Function annotations showed that many DEGs enriched plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interaction. Secondary metabolites associated stress-related hormones defense noticeably up-regulated in plants. However, key enzymes regulating lignin synthesis slightly down-regulated Additionally, plants had several noticeable stress-response TFs (transcription factors), including NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, CUC1/2), ERF (ethylene response factor), MYB (v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog), bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix), WRKY. This study generated abundant sequences for elucidating genetic differences between Z. armatum.