Transcriptome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of floral and leaf MIKCC MADS-box and R2R3 MYB transcription factors from the monocot Iris fulva

• We sequenced the transcriptome of leaves and flowers from the monocot Iris fulva.
• Type II MIKCC MADS-box and R2R3 MYB transcription factors were identified.
• More expected MIKCC MADS-box transcripts are present than R2R3 MYB transcripts.
• These are good candidates to study the genetics of reproductive isolation in Iris.

The Louisiana Irises serve as an important system for the study of the evolutionary processes of speciation, including reproductive isolation, hybridization, and adaptation. Sequencing methods today allow for the generation of resources key to elucidating the genetic basis of these phenomena. Here we describe the transcriptomes of floral and young leaf tissue from Iris fulva generated by massively parallel pyrosequencing. In order to identify potential candidates for the study of reproductive isolation and adaptation in the Louisiana Irises we phylogenetically analyzed the type II MIKCC MADS-box and R2R3 MYB transcription factors expressed in these tissues. A total of 25 Iris MIKCC MADS-box genes in 9 clades and 42 Iris R2R3 MYB genes in 19 clades were identified. Through the identification of eudicot and monocot specific clades, these analyses contribute to our understanding of the evolution of these prominent transcription factor families in the angiosperms.