Basil interspecific hybridization and transcriptome study indicates altered developmental and metabolic gene expression

Abstract Background In order to understand the developmental modulation of transcriptome and associated gene expression in inter-genomic combinations, a systematic study was planned using two diverse yet closely related species of Ocimum, targeting their hybrid F1 and derived amphidiploid (colchiploid of F1 hybrid). The existing developmental alterations between F1 and amphidiploid through phenotypical and anatomical assessments were analyzed. Results Study of several genes and transcription factors putatively involved in the growth and developmental processes of plants clearly amalgamates the transcriptome data linking the phenotypic differences in F1 and amphidiploid. Additionally, differentially expressed genes of stomatal patterning and development revealed their involvement leading to higher density of stomata in F1 while larger size of stomata in the amphidiploid. Absence of 8,330 transcripts of interspecific hybrid F1 in its amphidiploid and exclusive presence of two detected transcripts in amphidiploid provides a set of genes to analyze the suppressed or activated functions between F1 and amphidiploid. Estimation of chlorophyll, lignin, flavonoid and phenylpropenes (eugenol and methyleugenol) content were correlated with the average FPKM and digital gene expression values in F1 and amphidiploid. Conclusion This is the first investigation which describes the genes and transcription factors influenced by interspecific hybridization leading to developmental changes and alleviation of intergenomic instability in amphidiploid.