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Two types of mutations in the HEUKCHEEM gene functioning in cucumber spine color development can be used as signatures for cucumber domestication

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Abstract

Main conclusion

The HEUKCHEEM gene plays an important role in spine color formation. A white spine occurs due to two mutations in HEUKCHEEM and is closely related to the regional distribution of these mutants.

Abstract

Mapping analysis revealed that the HEUKCHEEM gene is co-segregated with the B locus in the regulation of black spine color development in cucumber fruit. HEUKCHEEM induced the expression of the genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway, leading to the accumulation of anthocyanins in black spines. The transiently over-expressed HEUKCHEEM in cucumber and tobacco plants enhanced the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes, leading to anthocyanin accumulation. However, two mutations—insertion of the 6994 bp mutator-like transposable element (MULE) sequence into the second intron and one single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of C to T in the second exon of HEUKCHEEM—were identified in white spines, leading to no accumulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related gene transcripts and anthocyanins. Furthermore, association analysis using 104 cucumber accessions with different geographical origins revealed that the types of mutations in HEUKCHEEM are strongly linked to geographical origins. The MULE insertion is found extensively in cucumbers with white spines in East Asia and Australia. However, cucumbers with white spines in other areas could be significantly influenced by a single SNP mutation. Our results provide fundamental information on spine color development in cucumber fruits and spine color-based cucumber breeding programs.

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Abbreviations

ANS:

Anthocyanin synthase

(d)CAPS:

(Derived) Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences

CHI:

Chalcone isomerase

CHS:

Chalcone synthase

DFR:

Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase

F3H:

Flavanone-3-hydroxylase

INDEL:

Insertions and deletions

MBW:

MYB-bHLH-WD40

MULE:

Mutator-like transposable element

SNP:

Single-nucleotide polymorphism

UFGT:

UDP-glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase

WD-RP:

WD-repeat protein

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Bio-industry Technology Development Program (Grant nos. 117043-3, 316087-4) of iPET (Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry) and the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (Plant Molecular Breeding Center) (Grant no. PJ01329601) of the Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

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  1. Plant Genomics Laboratory, Department of Bio-resource Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-ro, Gwanjing-gu, Seoul, 05006, Republic of Korea

    Chunying Zhang, Khin Thanda Win, Young-Cheon Kim & Sanghyeob Lee

  2. Plant Engineering Research Institute, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-ro, Gwanjing-gu, Seoul, 05006, Republic of Korea

    Sanghyeob Lee

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  1. Chunying Zhang
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Zhang, C., Win, K.T., Kim, YC. et al. Two types of mutations in the HEUKCHEEM gene functioning in cucumber spine color development can be used as signatures for cucumber domestication. Planta 250, 1491–1504 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-019-03244-w

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