Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of and Reveal Parental Molecular Expression in the Pitchers of Their Hybrid, × .

is a genus comprising carnivorous tropical pitcher plants that have evolved trapping organs at the tip of their leaves for nutrient acquisition from insect trapping. Recent studies have applied proteomics approaches to identify proteins in the pitcher fluids for better understanding the carnivory mechanism, but protein identification is hindered by limited species-specific transcriptomes for . In this study, the proteomics informed by transcriptomics (PIT) approach was utilized to identify and compare proteins in the pitcher fluids of , , and their hybrid × through PacBio isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) proteomic profiling.

Iso-Seq analysis of , and × for hybridisation study in pitcher plants.

Tropical pitcher plants in the species-rich Nepenthaceae family of carnivorous plants possess unique pitcher organs. Hybridisation, natural or artificial, in this family is extensive resulting in pitchers with diverse features. The pitcher functions as a passive insect trap with digestive fluid for nutrient acquisition in nitrogen-poor habitats.