Morphological Characterization and Integrated Transcriptome and Proteome Analysis of () Mutant in L.

Cucumber ( L.) is an economically important vegetable crop with the unique growth habit and typical trailing shoot architecture of Cucurbitaceae. Elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of growth and development is significant for improving quality and productivity in cucumber. Here we isolated a spontaneous cucumber mutant () with multiple morphological changes including root, plant stature, stem, leaf, male and female flowers, as well as fruit. Anatomical and cytological analyses demonstrated that both cell size and number decreased, and the shoot apical meristem (SAM) was smaller in compared with WT. Pollen vigor and germination assays and cross tests revealed that is female sterile, which may be caused by the absence of ovules. Genetic analysis showed that is a recessive single gene mutant. Using the MutMap strategy, the gene was found to be located on chromosome 5. Integrated profiling of transcriptome and proteome indicated that the different expression genes related to hormones and SAM maintenance might be the reason for the phenotypic changes of . These results expanded the insight into the molecular regulation of organ growth and development and provided a comprehensive reference map for further studies in cucumber.