MarpolBase Expression: A Web-Based, Comprehensive Platform for Visualization and Analysis of Transcriptomes in the...

Area of Science:

• Plant molecular biology
• Evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo)

Background:

• Marchantia polymorpha is a key model organism for studying land plant evo-devo.
• Accumulating transcriptome data requires user-friendly tools for analysis and annotation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a web-based tool, MarpolBase Expression (MBEX), for comprehensive analysis of Marchantia polymorpha transcriptome data.
• To provide a user-friendly platform for gene expression profiling, differential expression analysis, co-expression, and functional enrichment.

Main Methods:

• Development of a web-based suite of tools (MBEX).
• Integration of visualization, differential expression, co-expression, and functional enrichment analyses.
• Validation using oil body biogenesis as a case study.

Main Results:

• MBEX provides a user-friendly interface for exploring gene expression data.
• Analyses using MBEX align with existing experimental findings.
• MBEX identified a novel transcriptional network involved in oil body biogenesis.

Conclusions:

• MBEX facilitates the exploration and discovery of genetic and functional networks in Marchantia polymorpha.
• The tool promotes a deeper understanding of land plant evolution and development.