Transcriptome-wide identification and expression analysis of glutathione S-transferase genes involved in flavonoids accumulation in Dracaena cambodiana

• 20 DcGST genes were identified at the transcriptome level.
• DcGSTs showed tissue -specific expression patterns.
• Nine DcGST genes were up-regulated by the inducer of dragon’s blood formation.
• Three of the nine DcGST genes were expressed correlatedly with flavonoids biosynthetic genes.

Dragon’s blood is a traditional medicine widely used in the world, and the main components of which are flavonoids. However, little is known about its formation mechanism. Previous studies indicate that plant glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes are involved in transportation of flavonoids from cytosolic synthesis to vacuolar accumulation. In this study, 20 Dracaena cambodiana GST genes (DcGSTs) were identified based on transcriptome database. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 20 DcGSTs belonged to seven different classes. Tissue-specific expression analysis suggested that DcGSTs displayed differential expressions either in their transcript abundance or expression patterns under normal growth conditions. The transcript profiles of three DcGSTs in response to the inducer of dragon’s blood were strongly correlated with flavonoids biosynthetic genes, consistent with dragon’s blood accumulation. Our survey provides useful information for future studies on GST genes involved in dragon’s blood formation in D. cambodiana.