Key message

Transcriptome data and qPCR analysis revealed new insight into genes regulatory mechanism related to cucumber sex determination.

Abstract

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an economically important crop cultivated worldwide. Enhancing the genomic resources for cucumber may enable the regulation of traits relevant to crop productivity and quality. Sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools provide opportunities for the development of such resources. The aims of this study were to identify and characterize the genes involved in sex determination and flower morphogenesis in cucumber isogenic lines that differed regarding flower sex type. We obtained transcripts for 933 genes related to shoot apex development, among which 310 were differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among the male, female, and hermaphroditic lines. We performed gene ontology and molecular network analyses and explored the DEGs related to already known processes like: hormone synthesis and signaling, lipid and sugar metabolism; and also newly discovered processes related to cell wall, membrane, and cytoskeleton modifications; ion homeostasis which appears to be important for ethylene perception and signaling, and genes expression mediated by transcription factors related to floral organ identities. We proposed a new model of regulatory mechanism network of sex development in cucumber. Our results may be useful for clarifying the molecular genetics and the functional mechanisms underlying the sex determination processes.

中文翻译：

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比较转录组分析揭示了与性别决定有关的黄瓜基因的新分子途径。

关键信息

转录组数据和qPCR分析揭示了对与黄瓜性别测定有关的基因调控机制的新见解。

抽象

黄瓜（Cucumis sativusL.）是世界范围内种植的重要经济作物。增强黄瓜的基因组资源可能有助于调节与作物生产力和品质相关的性状。测序技术和生物信息学工具为开发这类资源提供了机会。本研究的目的是鉴定和鉴定与花性别类型不同的黄瓜同基因系中性别确定和花形态发生有关的基因。我们获得了与茎尖发育相关的933个基因的转录本，其中310个是雄性，雌性和雌雄同体系之间的差异表达基因（DEG）。我们进行了基因本体论和分子网络分析，并探索了与已知过程相关的DEG，这些过程包括：激素合成和信号传导，脂质和糖代谢；以及与细胞壁，膜和细胞骨架修饰有关的新发现过程；离子稳态似乎对乙烯的感知和信号传递以及与花器官身份相关的转录因子介导的基因表达很重要。我们提出了黄瓜性发育调控机制网络的新模型。我们的结果可能有助于阐明分子遗传学和性别决定过程的基础功能机制。