RNA-seq analysis of developing pecan (Carya illinoinensis) embryo

We sequenced and characterized the expression of genes during the creation of a pecan nut. Pecan nut samples were collected at four time points during the August and September of the 2012 growing season and RNA was isolated from the samples. We identified 133,000 potential genes, and approximately 50,000 of these were similar to previously sequenced genes. We analyzed the expression of genes whose protein products commonly act as food allergens and those involved in fatty acid metabolism. This analysis allowed us to determine that pecan nut seed storage proteins that commonly act as allergens were significantly upregulated during the time course. We clustered genes whose pattern of expression was similar. In some cases there were fatty acid metabolism genes that had expression patterns similar to the allergen genes. Our findings suggest the possibility of coordinated accumulation of lipids and allergens during pecan nut embryogenesis.