Expression of Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus Movement Protein in Cucumber Leads to the Expression Changes of Endogenous Gene

Abstract

Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) is one of the most important diseases of cucurbit crops. To date the only method available to control this devastating disease is the use of resistant varieties or disease-resistant rootstocks. However, the development of transgenic technology offers the potential to create resistant varieties through the expression of foreign genes. Such approaches are not without risk, and it has been noted that introduction of transgenes can have wide ranging effects, often affecting non-target processes. The current study was therefore initiated to investigate the effect of genetic modification on 12 related genes in transgenic cucumber seedlings expressing the CGMMV movement protein (CGMMV-MP) at the two-true-leaf stage. Compared with non-transgenic cucumbers (cv. Zhongnong 16), the results of quantitative PCR (qPCR) indicated that six of the genes had significant altered expression in the transgenic plants, four that were up-regulated including the cucumber peeling cupredoxin, Histone H4, Cytochrome oxidase and Thaumatin-like protein and two that were down-regulated, cytochrome b6-f complex and disulfide isomerase. The data collected therefore provide greater understanding of the impact of introduced exogenous genes in cucumber, as well as highlighting resistance genes that have the potential to prevent CGMMV infection.