Transcriptomic analysis identifies the key genes involved in stamen petaloid in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Background Flower morphology, a phenomenon regulated by a complex network, is one of the vital ornamental features in Nelumbo nucifera. Stamen petaloid is very prevalent in lotus flowers. However, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is still obscure. Results Here, the comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed among petal, stamen petaloid and stamen through RNA-seq. Using pairwise comparison analysis, a large number of genes involved in hormonal signal transduction pathways and transcription factors, especially the MADS-box genes, were identified as candidate genes for stamen petaloid in lotus. Conclusions Taken together, these results provide an insight into the molecular networks underlying lotus floral organ development and stamen petaloid. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4950-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.