Tissue-specific transcriptome and gene expression of Ferula asafoetida (Heeng)

Ferula asafoetida is a herbaceous perennial plant that produces oleo gum resin (OGR) from its roots, commonly called Asafoetida. It contains a wide range of volatile compounds and secondary metabolites (terpenoid), which imparts its distinct character and thus makes this an important plant in food traditional medicine practice. However, genes and enzymes involved in terpenoid metabolism remain uncharacterized because of the unavailability of genomic resources. Here, we first optimized the germination and growth conditions for this plant, followed by microscopic and physiological analyses. Also, to understand the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites and identify genes involved in terpenoid metabolism, we performed de novo transcriptome sequencing of three organs (leaves, stem, and root) of Ferula asafoetida by using the Illumina HiSeq 4000 platform.