Aquaporins (AQPs) facilitates the transport of small solutes like water, urea, carbon dioxide, boron, and silicon (Si) and plays a critical role in important physiological processes. In this study, genome-wide characterization of AQPs was performed in bottle gourd. A total of 36 AQPs were identified in the bottle gourd, which were subsequently analysed to understand the pore-morphology, exon-intron structure, subcellular-localization. In addition, available transcriptome data was used to study the tissue-specific expression. Several AQPs showed tissue-specific expression, more notably the LsiTIP3-1 having a high level of expression in flowers and fruits. Based on the in-silico prediction of solute specificity, LsiNIP2-1 was predicted to be a Si transporter. Silicon was quantified in different tissues, including root, young leaves, mature leaves, tendrils, and fruits of bottle gourd plants. More than 1.3% Si (d.w.) was observed in bottle gourd leaves, testified the in-silico predictions. Silicon deposition evaluated with an energy-dispersive X-ray coupled with a scanning electron microscope showed a high Si accumulation in the shaft of leaf trichomes. Similarly, co-localization of Si with arsenic and antimony was observed. Expression profiling performed with real-time quantitative PCR showed differential expression of AQPs in response to Si supplementation. The information provided in the present study will be helpful to better understand the AQP transport mechanism, particularly Si and other metalloids transport and localization in plants.

水通道蛋白（AQPs）促进水，尿素，二氧化碳，硼和硅（Si）等小溶质的运输，并在重要的生理过程中发挥关键作用。在这项研究中，在葫芦中对AQP进行了全基因组表征。在葫芦中共鉴定出36种AQP，随后对其进行分析以了解其孔形，外显子-内含子结构，亚细胞定位。另外，可用的转录组数据用于研究组织特异性表达。几种AQP表现出组织特异性表达，尤其是LsiTIP3-1在鲜花和水果中具有高表达水平。基于in-silico在预测溶质特异性的过程中，LsiNIP2-1被认为是Si转运蛋白。硅被定量在不同的组织中，包括根，幼叶，成熟叶，卷须和，植物的果实。在葫芦叶片中观察到超过1.3％的Si（dw），证明了硅中预测。用能量色散X射线和扫描电子显微镜评估的硅沉积表明，在叶毛状体的轴中有高的Si积累。类似地，观察到Si与砷和锑的共定位。使用实时定量PCR进行的表达谱分析显示，响应Si的添加，AQP的差异表达。本研究提供的信息将有助于更好地了解AQP的运输机制，特别是Si和其他准金属在植物中的运输和定位。