Solanum lycopersicum Transcriptome or Gene expression

Tomato plants are covered with epidermal secretory glandular trichomes and these structures accumulate a wide variety of plant secondary metabolites. Many of these compounds, such as terpenoids and acyl sugars, protect plants from herbivorous insects. Trichome EST collections have led to the identification of a variety of metabolic pathway enzymes. In this study, RNA-Seq using Illumina sequencing was performed on RNA isolated from stem (ST), stem trichomes (T) and stems with trichomes removed (S for 'shaved') to identify trichome specific genes. We detected >2,500 protein coding genes differentially expressed between stem trichomes and stems without trichomes. This list includes proteins annotated as being involved in oxygen binding, fatty acid elongase activity and carboxylesterase activity. In addition, the expression profile of potential acyl sugar biosynthetic genes is discussed and these data will help to identify candidate genes for biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in tomato trichomes.