Dosage imbalance of B- and C-class genes causes petaloid-stamen relating to F(1) hybrid variation

BACKGROUND: Great advances have been achieved in our understanding of flower development and evolution since the establishment of the ABC model. However, it remains a challenge to define the exact context of organ identity in the component interactions of the ABC model. RESULTS: Through hybridization, we detected a homeotic mutant in Petrocosmea (Gesneriaceae) uniquely displayed by the ‘petaloid-stamen’ in the third whorl with petal identity. Comparative Real-time PCR analyses demonstrate that both two B-class genes DEF2 and GLO are excessively expressed while the transcripts of the C-class gene PLE are reduced in the third floral whorl in the mutant compared to that in the wild-type F(1) hybrids. Further allele-specific expression (ASE) analyses indicate that an allele-specific change in PgPLE might be responsible for up-regulation of both B-class genes and down-regulation of the C-class gene in the petaloid-stamen mutants. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the petaloid-stamen is consequent upon an evident dosage imbalance between B- and C-class products that is probably triggered by a cis-regulatory change. In addition, the genetic pathway for the floral organ identity might be in parallel with that for the floral symmetry. The extreme variation in hybrids further suggests that interspecific hybridization may represent a major factor for evolutionary innovation and diversification in plants. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12870-018-1562-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.