Transcriptome Profile Analysis Reveals the Regulation Mechanism of Pistil Abortion in Handeliodendron bodinieri

To elucidate the molecular mechanism of pistils abortion underlying sex differentiation from transcriptomic aspects in Handeliodendron bodinieri, we use abnormal pistils before and after abortion in male flowers and normal pistils in female flowers at the same stage as control material. Key genes regulating pistil abortion was identified by using RNA-seq technique. The results show that it was abortion from the two-nucleate embryo sac to four-nucleate embryo sac at stage one (the diameters of the flower buds were 1.3–1.6 mm), at the same time, 12 genes related to ovule development, such as INO, BEL1, and CRC, 24 genes related to plant hormones, such as AHP6, ARF, ERF, and GID1, and 12 genes related the ROS, such as POD, SOD, CAT and RBOH might be involved in the regulation of pistil abortion. Therefore, this study will provide a theoretical foundation for the conservation, breeding, and application of H. bodinieri in the future. Overall design: Flower buds and pistils mRNA profiles of male and female flowers in Handeliodendron bodinieri