Transcriptomes of Erycina pusilla and Erycina crista-galli

Comparative gene expression was used to investigate the evolutionary origins of Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in the genus Erycina (Orchidaceae). RNAseq libraries were generated for two species, E. pusilla (CAM) and E. crista-galli (C3), sampled every 2 or 4 hours across a 24 hour cycle. We assembled species specific transcriptomes and analyzed gene expression across time to assess which genes had time-structured expression and which stayed constant. We further assessed changes to network structure and connectivity of gene families to find significant alteration to regulatory networks between C3 and CAM orchid species.