LsRTDv1: A reference transcript dataset for accurate transcript-specific expression analysis in lettuce

Accurate quantification of gene and transcript-specific expression, with
the underlying knowledge of precise transcript isoforms, is crucial to
understanding many biological processes. Analysis of RNA sequencing data
has benefited from the development of alignment-free algorithms which
enhance the precision and speed of expression analysis. However, such
algorithms require a reference transcriptome. Here we present a reference
transcript dataset (LsRTDv1) for lettuce, combining long- and short-read
sequencing with publicly available transcriptome annotations, and
filtering to keep only transcripts with high-confidence splice junctions
and transcriptional start and end sites. LsRTDv1 is a valuable resource
for the investigation of transcriptional and alternative splicing
regulation in lettuce.