Data from: Genome of the pitcher plant Cephalotus reveals genetic changes associated with carnivory

Carnivorous plants exploit animals as a nutritional source and have inspired long-standing questions about the origin and evolution of carnivory-related traits. To investigate the molecular bases of carnivory, we sequenced the genome of the heterophyllous pitcher plant Cephalotus follicularis, in which we succeeded in regulating the developmental switch between carnivorous and non-carnivorous leaves. Transcriptome comparison of the two leaf types and gene repertoire analysis identified genetic changes associated with prey attraction, capture, digestion and nutrient absorption. Analysis of digestive fluid proteins from C. follicularis and three other carnivorous plants with independent carnivorous origins revealed repeated co-options of stress-responsive protein lineages coupled with convergent amino acid substitutions to acquire digestive physiology. These results imply constraints on the available routes to evolve plant carnivory.

食肉植物以动物作为营养来源，长期以来引发了学界关于食肉相关性状起源与演化的诸多疑问。为探究食肉性的分子基础，本研究对异形叶土瓶草（Cephalotus follicularis）的基因组进行了测序，并成功调控了该物种食肉叶与非食肉叶之间的发育转换。通过对两种叶型的转录组比较分析与基因谱分析，本研究鉴定出与猎物吸引、捕获、消化及营养吸收相关的遗传变异。对土瓶草（C. follicularis）以及另外3种独立起源食肉习性的食肉植物的消化液蛋白进行分析后发现，胁迫响应蛋白谱系经历了多轮共招募事件，并伴随趋同氨基酸替换，从而演化出消化生理功能。上述研究结果表明，植物食肉性的演化路径存在一定限制。