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The fungicide propamocarb increases lignin by activating the phenylpropanoid pathway in Cucumis sativus L.

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  • Genetics and Breeding
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Abstract

Pesticide residue often remains on the surface of cucumber fruits after application, but the metabolic pathway and genes involved in pesticide metabolism remain unclear. In this study, we employed whole transcriptional analysis using a high-throughput tag-sequencing technique (Tag-seq) to identify the genes involved in cucumber’s metabolism of the fungicide propamocarb. Transcript abundance was investigated by analyzing gene expression profiles. Differential expression analysis revealed the up-regulation of 546 genes, and the down-regulation of 185 genes. Using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, genes identified from whole transcriptome analysis as related to the phenylpropanoid pathway were most significantly differentially expressed. Fourteen of these genes were up-regulated after treatment with propamocarb. Further analysis revealed that these genes encoded six enzymes: phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cytochrome P450 (CYP), AMP-dependent CoA ligase (AMP), anthranilate Nbenzoyltransferase protein (ANP), UDP-glucosyl transferase family protein (UDP), and peroxidase (POD). Compared to the control, the activities of PAL and POD were significantly increased (p < 0.01) after treatment with propamocarb, as was lignin synthesis such that acetylbromide-extractable lignins were increased by 41.1% (p < 0.05). Based on these results, we propose that propamocarb up-regulates the expression of genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway, leading to induction of lignin synthesis, which in turn triggers defense mechanisms in cucumber.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Life Science, Agriculture and Forestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, 161006, China

    Peng Wu & Qian-qian Guo

  2. College of Horticulture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China

    Zhi-wei Qin

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  1. Peng Wu
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  2. Qian-qian Guo
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  3. Zhi-wei Qin
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Correspondence to Peng Wu.

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Wu, P., Guo, Qq. & Qin, Zw. The fungicide propamocarb increases lignin by activating the phenylpropanoid pathway in Cucumis sativus L.. Hortic. Environ. Biotechnol. 57, 511–518 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-016-0049-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-016-0049-1

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