Comprehensive analysis of multi-tissue transcriptome data and the genome-wide investigation of GRAS family in Phyllostachys edulis.

GRAS family is one of plant specific transcription factors and plays diverse roles in the regulation of plant growth and development as well as in the plant disease resistance and abiotic stress responses. However, the investigation of GRAS family and multi-tissue gene expression profiles still remains unavailable in bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). Here, we applied RNA-Seq analysis to monitor global transcriptional changes and investigate expression patterns in the five tissues of Ph. edulis, and analyzed a large-scale transcriptional events and patterns. Moreover, the tissue-specific genes and DEGs in different tissues were detected. For example, DEGs in panicle and leaf tissues were abundant in photosynthesis, glutathione, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, whereas those in shoot and rhizome were majority in glycerophospholipid metabolism. In the portion of Ph. edulis GRAS (PeGRAS) analyses, we performed the analysis of phylogenetic, gene structure, conserved motifs, and analyzed the expression profiles of PeGRASs in response to high light and made a co-expression analysis. Additionally, the expression profiles of PeGRASs were validated using quantitative real-time PCR. Thus, PeGRASs based on dynamics profiles of gene expression is helpful in uncovering the specific biological functions which might be of critical values for bioengineering to improve bamboo breeding in future.