CoNekT-Plants

CoNekT-Plants integrates gene expression atlases and constructs co-expression and co-function networks to analyze plant transcriptional programs and their evolution using a Selaginella moellendorffii gene expression atlas from the lycophyte lineage.

Key Features:

• Gene Expression Atlas: Provides an extensive Selaginella moellendorffii gene expression atlas covering major organs and tissue types.
• Diurnal Expression Profiles: Includes detailed diurnal gene expression profiles to examine transcriptional dynamics across time of day.
• Co-expression and Co-function Networks: Builds comprehensive co-expression and co-function networks to group genes into transcriptional modules.
• Evolutionary Insights: Identifies ancestral origins of gene modules, including those for lignocellulose biosynthesis, and detects duplication and subfunctionalization events associated with cell wall diversification.
• Integration of Secondary Metabolism: Elucidates transcriptional coordination between secondary metabolism and other cellular pathways.
• Root-Specific Gene Identification: Identifies root-specific genes in Selaginella moellendorffii and reports that root evolution did not correspond with increased gene family diversity.

Scientific Applications:

• Evolutionary Biology: Enables exploration of the evolutionary history and functional diversification of genes across Archaeplastida using Selaginella as a reference.
• Transcriptomics: Supports analysis of gene expression patterns across tissues, organs, and developmental stages, including diurnal variation.
• Functional Genomics: Facilitates inference of gene function and interactions through analysis of co-expression and co-function networks.

Methodology:

Integrates gene expression datasets from Selaginella moellendorffii to construct co-expression and co-function networks and to identify transcriptional modules and their evolutionary significance.