Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Reveals Key Regulatory Pathways Underlying Delayed Female Corolla Opening in Cucumber

doi:10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2026-0024

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To explore the molecular mechanism by which exogenous growth regulators regulate the key commercial trait of “persistent corolla and erect fruit spines” in production, and to provide a theoretical basis for further improving the fresh eating quality of cucumbers through molecular breeding. Method This study compared the gene expression and metabolite changes of cucumber female flower corollas under dipping and non-dipping treatments at different developmental stages using transcriptome and metabolome analyses. Key genes and metabolites regulating the delayed opening of cucumber female flower corollas were screened out, and the molecular regulatory mechanism of delayed shedding of cucumber female flower corollas after treatment was preliminarily analyzed. Result The results showed that 3 508, 3 581, and 5 752 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the three comparison groups of nDF_0d vs DF_0d, nDF_2d vs DF_2d, and nDF_4d vs DF_4d, respectively. These genes were significantly enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway (csv04075), phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway (csv00940), and phenylalanine metabolism pathway (csv00360). Genes related to auxin, including AUX28 (Csa07g1708), IAA14 (Csa02g0970), GH3.1 (Csa06g2748), and ARF19 (Csa02g0003), may play a key role in regulating the delayed opening of cucumber flower corollas. Metabolome analysis further indicated that secondary metabolites such as phenolic acids, ferulic acid derivatives, and flavonoids accumulated significantly in the corresponding treatments, especially phenylpropanoids and flavonoids, which were closely related to the continuous opening of cucumber flower corollas and may be related to their roles in cell wall elasticity, antioxidant activity, and hormone regulation. Conclusion It is revealed that the auxin-dominated response induced by flower dipping delays corolla opening through antagonism with ethylene signaling, whereas the non-dipped treatment promotes corolla abscission via an ethylene-centered regulatory pathway.

Key words: cucumber, appearance quality, corolla opening, transcriptome, metabolome, auxin, ethylene, phenylpropanoids

FAN Li-jin, SONG Xiao-fei, LI Xiao-li, YAN Li-ying, XIE Yang. Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Reveals Key Regulatory Pathways Underlying Delayed Female Corolla Opening in Cucumber[J]. Biotechnology Bulletin, 2026, 42(9): 147-156.

Figures/Tables 6

References 28

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化合物ID Compound_ID	名字 Name	DF_0d	nDF_0d	DF_2d	nDF_2d	DF_4d	nDF_4d
Com_985_neg	4'，5，7-三甲氧基黄酮醇 4'，5，7-Trimethoxyflavonol	99 812	2 014 827	2 586 900	3 922 485	97 925	5 018 405
Com_427_neg	阿魏酸异丙酯 Isopropyl ferulate	21 846 690	14 777 483	17 392 990	19 573 931	11 530 980	16 744 514
Com_554_neg	异阿魏酸 Isoferulic acid	1 221 127	4 219 810	7 698 845	1 494 036	5 608 662	664 965
Com_757_neg	紫杉叶素 Taxifolin	5 801 315	20 924 851	4 556 372	11 860 780	2 852 499	3 048 801
Com_949_neg	甲基麦冬酮 A Methylophiopogonone A	10 963 630	12 663 286	301 010	39 368 378	568 404	17 869 891
Com_4340_neg	异香草素 Exoticin	3 430 495	9 128 613	10 462 639	5 841 462	9 034 048	5 633 944
Com_4335_neg	山柰酚-7-O-葡萄糖醛酸苷 kaempferol 7-O-glucuronide	1 015 134	468 478	6 944 203	5 443 416	2 904 047	6 374 979
Com_4641_neg	6-甲氧基山柰酚-3-（6''-乙酰葡萄糖苷） 6-Methoxykaempferol 3-（6''-acetylglucoside）	193 070 843	353 025 210	134 610 782	314486278	86 323 233	134 778 258
Com_4079_neg	5，3'，5'-三羟基-3，6，7，8，4'-五甲氧基黄酮 5，3'，5'-Trihydroxy-3，6，7，8，4'-pentamethoxyflavone	5 864 270	62 703 343	56 892 969	128 853 000	29 644 666	363 265 415
Com_3031_neg	胡麻黄素 Pedalitin	14 778 991	29 971 631	9 555 536	25 735 469	5 751 055	11 617 497
Com_1134_neg	阿魏酸松柏酯 Coniferyl ferulate	95 023	1 262 222	11 012 131	2 647 689	39 000 914	4 963 227
Com_2320_neg	咖啡酸-4-O-硫酸酯 Caffeic acid 4-O-sulfate	7 765 051	3 391 782	562 561	2 040 834	1 733 624	3 814 649
Com_4416_neg	反式咖啡酸-［芹菜糖基-（1→6）-葡萄糖基］酯 trans-Caffeic acid ［apiosyl-（1->6）-glucosyl］ ester	13 375 922	22 601 763	12 451 711	9 133 318	25 147 790	9 179 527
Com_4640_neg	3，3'，5-三羟基-4'-甲氧基-6，7-亚甲二氧基黄酮-3-葡糖醛酸苷 3，3'，5-Trihydroxy-4'-methoxy-6，7-methylenedioxyflavone 3-glucuronide	28 411 607	21 071 365	57 485 453	71 630 275	30 797 856	61 048 706
Com_4635_neg	染料木素-8-C-葡萄糖苷-6″-O-丙二酸酯 Genistein 8-C-glucoside 6″-O-malonate	6 040 661	25 638 724	9 716 662	43 509 690	14 019 377	20 772 415
Com_3858_neg	8-C-对羟基苄基山奈酚 9-8-C-p-Hydroxybenzylkaempferol	5 899 335	176 884	6 459 625	8 099 458	880 644	17 677 543
Com_3677_neg	7，8，3'，4'，5'-五甲氧基异黄酮 7，8，3'，4'，5'-Pentamethoxyisoflavone	6 222 719	10 991 494	265 441	1 086 138	2 494 967	554 146
Com_4707_neg	5，7-二羟基-8，3'，4'，5'-四甲氧基黄酮-6-C-葡萄糖苷 5，7-Dihydroxy-8，3'，4'，5'-tetramethoxyflavone 6-C-glucoside	956 993	14 674 867	1 563 193	21 773 921	10 957 937	18 130 177
Com_4474_neg	表没食子儿茶素-3-O-阿魏酸酯 Epigallocatechin-3-O-ferulate	288 455	2 801 330	10 936 700	3 029 505	44 030 371	10 394 177
Com_3950_neg	5，6，7，3'，4'，5'-六甲氧基黄酮 5，6，7，3'，4'，5'-Hexamethoxyflavone	2 250 713	16 100 866	28 902 532	29 435 394	14 485 535	26 265 020

化合物ID Compound_ID	名字 Name	DF_0d	nDF_0d	DF_2d	nDF_2d	DF_4d	nDF_4d
Com_985_neg	4'，5，7-三甲氧基黄酮醇 4'，5，7-Trimethoxyflavonol	99 812	2 014 827	2 586 900	3 922 485	97 925	5 018 405
Com_427_neg	阿魏酸异丙酯 Isopropyl ferulate	21 846 690	14 777 483	17 392 990	19 573 931	11 530 980	16 744 514
Com_554_neg	异阿魏酸 Isoferulic acid	1 221 127	4 219 810	7 698 845	1 494 036	5 608 662	664 965
Com_757_neg	紫杉叶素 Taxifolin	5 801 315	20 924 851	4 556 372	11 860 780	2 852 499	3 048 801
Com_949_neg	甲基麦冬酮 A Methylophiopogonone A	10 963 630	12 663 286	301 010	39 368 378	568 404	17 869 891
Com_4340_neg	异香草素 Exoticin	3 430 495	9 128 613	10 462 639	5 841 462	9 034 048	5 633 944
Com_4335_neg	山柰酚-7-O-葡萄糖醛酸苷 kaempferol 7-O-glucuronide	1 015 134	468 478	6 944 203	5 443 416	2 904 047	6 374 979
Com_4641_neg	6-甲氧基山柰酚-3-（6''-乙酰葡萄糖苷） 6-Methoxykaempferol 3-（6''-acetylglucoside）	193 070 843	353 025 210	134 610 782	314486278	86 323 233	134 778 258
Com_4079_neg	5，3'，5'-三羟基-3，6，7，8，4'-五甲氧基黄酮 5，3'，5'-Trihydroxy-3，6，7，8，4'-pentamethoxyflavone	5 864 270	62 703 343	56 892 969	128 853 000	29 644 666	363 265 415
Com_3031_neg	胡麻黄素 Pedalitin	14 778 991	29 971 631	9 555 536	25 735 469	5 751 055	11 617 497
Com_1134_neg	阿魏酸松柏酯 Coniferyl ferulate	95 023	1 262 222	11 012 131	2 647 689	39 000 914	4 963 227
Com_2320_neg	咖啡酸-4-O-硫酸酯 Caffeic acid 4-O-sulfate	7 765 051	3 391 782	562 561	2 040 834	1 733 624	3 814 649
Com_4416_neg	反式咖啡酸-［芹菜糖基-（1→6）-葡萄糖基］酯 trans-Caffeic acid ［apiosyl-（1->6）-glucosyl］ ester	13 375 922	22 601 763	12 451 711	9 133 318	25 147 790	9 179 527
Com_4640_neg	3，3'，5-三羟基-4'-甲氧基-6，7-亚甲二氧基黄酮-3-葡糖醛酸苷 3，3'，5-Trihydroxy-4'-methoxy-6，7-methylenedioxyflavone 3-glucuronide	28 411 607	21 071 365	57 485 453	71 630 275	30 797 856	61 048 706
Com_4635_neg	染料木素-8-C-葡萄糖苷-6″-O-丙二酸酯 Genistein 8-C-glucoside 6″-O-malonate	6 040 661	25 638 724	9 716 662	43 509 690	14 019 377	20 772 415
Com_3858_neg	8-C-对羟基苄基山奈酚 9-8-C-p-Hydroxybenzylkaempferol	5 899 335	176 884	6 459 625	8 099 458	880 644	17 677 543
Com_3677_neg	7，8，3'，4'，5'-五甲氧基异黄酮 7，8，3'，4'，5'-Pentamethoxyisoflavone	6 222 719	10 991 494	265 441	1 086 138	2 494 967	554 146
Com_4707_neg	5，7-二羟基-8，3'，4'，5'-四甲氧基黄酮-6-C-葡萄糖苷 5，7-Dihydroxy-8，3'，4'，5'-tetramethoxyflavone 6-C-glucoside	956 993	14 674 867	1 563 193	21 773 921	10 957 937	18 130 177
Com_4474_neg	表没食子儿茶素-3-O-阿魏酸酯 Epigallocatechin-3-O-ferulate	288 455	2 801 330	10 936 700	3 029 505	44 030 371	10 394 177
Com_3950_neg	5，6，7，3'，4'，5'-六甲氧基黄酮 5，6，7，3'，4'，5'-Hexamethoxyflavone	2 250 713	16 100 866	28 902 532	29 435 394	14 485 535	26 265 020