Cucumber powdery mildew is one of the most destructive diseases of cucumber throughout the world. In the present study, inheritance of powdery mildew resistance in three crosses, and linkage of resistance with amplifi...Cucumber powdery mildew is one of the most destructive diseases of cucumber throughout the world. In the present study, inheritance of powdery mildew resistance in three crosses, and linkage of resistance with amplified fragment length polymorphism （AFLP） markers are studied to formulate efficient strategies for breeding cultivars resistant to powdery mildew. The joint analysis of multiple generations and AFLP technique has been applied in this study. The best model is the one with two major genes, additive, dominant, and epistatic effects, plus polygenes with additive, dominant, and epistatic effects （E-l-0 model）. The heritabilities of the major genes varied from 64.26% to 97.82%, and susceptibility was incompletely dominant for the two major genes in the three crosses studied. The additive effects of the two major genes and the dominant effect of the second major gene were high, and the epistatic effect of the additive-dominant between the two major genes was the highest in cross I . In cross II, the absolute value of the additive effect, dominant effect, and potential ratio of the first major gene were far higher than those of the second major gene, and the epistatic effect of the additive-additive was the highest. The genetic parameters of the two major genes in cross III were similar to those in cross II. Correlation and regression analyses showed that marker E25/M63-103 was linked to a susceptible gene controlling powdery mildew resistance. The marker could account for 19.98% of the phenotypic variation. When the marker was tested on a diverse set of 29 cucumber lines, the correlation between phenotype and genotype was not significant, which suggested cultivar specialty of gene expression or different methods of resistance to powdery mildew. The target DNA fragment was 103 bp in length, and only a small part was found to be homologous to DNA in the other species evaluated, which indicated that it was unique to the cucumber genome.展开更多
Lipoxygenases are nonheme-iron-containing dioxygenases that catalyze the hydroperoxidation of unsatrated fatty acids containing a cis, cis-1,4-pentadiene structure producing hydroperoxy acids with conjugated dienes.
In the entire world, about 200 million populations are exposed to arsenic poisoning in groundwater. Arsenic is a very poisonous metalloid and has three allotropic forms. The toxic inorganic arsenic is converted and ut...In the entire world, about 200 million populations are exposed to arsenic poisoning in groundwater. Arsenic is a very poisonous metalloid and has three allotropic forms. The toxic inorganic arsenic is converted and utilized metabolically into organic form. It is primarily eliminated out from the human body through metabolic wastes like urine and is also deposited in the hair, nails and skin of the affected ones. Arsenic is known to be a carcinogen as Carcinogen category 1 in the forms of arsenic trioxide, arsenic pentoxide, arsenous acids, arsenic acid and their salts. The arsenic also affects the epidermal system, the nervous system and the vascular system of humans. In the present investigation for toxicological evaluation of arsenic Liver Function Tests & Kidney Function Tests have been considered. It is presumed that medicinal plants have significance in the present day in view of the lethal diseases like AIDS, cancer, hepatitis, nephritis sterility too for which no effective drugs are found till today in modern system of medicine. Medicinal plant based drugs generally have no side effects or the least side effect. Thus to evaluate an ameliorating effect, if any, to mitigate the arsenic toxicity in mice, for which Cucumis sativus (cucumbers) has been taken as curative measure. Sodium arsenite at the dose of 3 mg/kg body weight was administered for 4 weeks followed by the administration of Cucumis sativus (cucumbers) for 4 and 6 weeks at dose of 500 mg/kg body weight. Their biochemical levels like liver and kidney function tests were assayed and were found with elevated levels. But, after administration of aqueous extract of Cucumis sativus (cucumbers), there was significant amelioration in the biochemical levels. The protective effect of Cucumis sativus (cucumbers) was shown in the form of normalization of enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities represented by normalization of liver and kidney functions.展开更多
Plant height in cucumber is not only an important trait for breeding,but also one of the model traits suitable for the study of developmental biology.Amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP)and simple sequence rep...Plant height in cucumber is not only an important trait for breeding,but also one of the model traits suitable for the study of developmental biology.Amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP)and simple sequence repeat(SSR)markers techniques were applied for the construction of genetic linkage maps in cucumber.To understand the dwarf trait genetic basis in cucumber,the quantitative trait loci(QTL)were identified using F_6 recombinant inbred line populations(RILs)comprising 336 lines from the cross between the two cultivars D0462(the dwarf)and DN129(the vine).In total,six SSR markers and 15 AFLP markers were detected on the five linkage groups covering 152.8 cM with a mean marker interval of 7.28 cM.Only one QTL was found to be linked with plant height and the dwarf trait locus remained in the fourth linkage group.The contributory percentage of the single QTL to plant height was 11.39%.展开更多
[Objective] The research aimed to construct the fusion protein expression vector of α-galactosidase-EGFP （enhanced green fluorescent protein） in cucumber controlled by CaMV35S promoter.[Method] CaMV35S promoter seq...[Objective] The research aimed to construct the fusion protein expression vector of α-galactosidase-EGFP （enhanced green fluorescent protein） in cucumber controlled by CaMV35S promoter.[Method] CaMV35S promoter sequence and the coding region of EGFP were amplified by polymerase chain reactions （PCR） with vector pCambia 1303 as the template.Using reverse transcript PCR technology,with total RNAs of cucumber as template,the coding region of acid α-galactosidase Ⅰ in cucumber was amplified.The above three fragments were inserted into the multiple cloning sites of expression vector pCambia 1381c.The fusion expression vector of α-galactosidase-EGFP located at the C-terminal of the target genes was constructed.[Result] After enzyme digestion and sequencing,the fusion expression of α-galactosidase-EGFP in cucumber was constructed successfully.[Conclusion] The research laid the experimental basis for further study on the subcellular localization of α-galactosidase in cucumber.展开更多
This article aims to study the effects of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide （EBR） on the changes in ROS, activities of antioxidative enzymes and antioxidants in cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.） seedling roots under hypoxi...This article aims to study the effects of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide （EBR） on the changes in ROS, activities of antioxidative enzymes and antioxidants in cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.） seedling roots under hypoxia stress. Seedlings of a hypoxiaresistant cultivar, Lühachun 4, and a hypoxia-sensitive cultivar, Zhongnong 8, were hydroponically grown for 8 d in normoxic or hypoxic nutrient solutions that were added or not added with 10^-3 mg L^-1 EBR. Under hypoxia stress, the ROS levels and the lipid peroxidation were significantly increased in the roots upon exposure to hypoxia stress, which were inhibited by EBR application. The EBR treatment significantly increased the seedlings growth and SOD, APX, GR activities, and contents of AsA and GSH under hypoxia stress. From the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that oxidative damage on seedling roots by hypoxia stress can be considerably alleviated and the tolerance of plants was elevated.展开更多
Tonoplast sugar transporters(TSTs)play essential roles in regulating plant growth,development,and response to various biotic and abiotic stresses.In this study,a total of three TST genes were identified by a genome-wi...Tonoplast sugar transporters(TSTs)play essential roles in regulating plant growth,development,and response to various biotic and abiotic stresses.In this study,a total of three TST genes were identified by a genome-wide analysis in cucumber.Phylogenetic analysis showed that TST proteins from cucumber and other plant species can be classified into five groups,and nearly all TST members in the same groups displayed similarmotif distributions,transmembrane(TM)domains,and gene structures.All of the three CsTST genes possess a number of development-,stress-,and hormone-related cis-elements in the promoter sequences.Meanwhile,qRT-PCR assays revealed that the CsTST1 was expressed in fruits,flowers,leaves,and other tissues,and its expression varied significantly under various abiotic stresses such as cold,salt,drought(PEG),and abscisic acid(ABA).Finally,functional analysis of CsTST1 in yeast revealed that it was able to complement the deficiency in galactose,mannose and sucrose transport.These results revealed that CsTST1 can act as a functional sugar transporter to play important roles in cucumber growth and response to abiotic stress probably through affecting carbohydrate distribution.展开更多
Gummy stem blight(GSB),caused by Didymella bryoniae,is a serious fungal disease that leads to decline in cucumber yield and quality.The molecular mechanism of GSB resistance in cucumber remains unclear.Here,we investi...Gummy stem blight(GSB),caused by Didymella bryoniae,is a serious fungal disease that leads to decline in cucumber yield and quality.The molecular mechanism of GSB resistance in cucumber remains unclear.Here,we investigated the GSB resistance of cucumber core germplasms from four geographic groups at the seedling and adult stages.A total of 9 SNPs related to GSB resistance at the seedling stage and 26 SNPs at the adult stage were identified,of which some are co-localized to previously mapped Quantitative trait loci(QTLs)for GSB resistance(gsb3.2/gsb3.3,gsb5.1,and gsb-s6.2).Based on haplotype analysis and expression levels after inoculation,four candidate genes were identified within the region identified by both Genome-wide association study(GWAS)and previous identified QTL mapping,including Csa3G129470 for gsb3.2/gsb3.3,Csa5G606820 and Csa5G606850 for gsb5.1,and Csa6G079730 for gsb-s6.2.The novel GSB resistant accessions,significant SNPs,and candidate genes facilitate the breeding of GSB resistant cucumber cultivars and provide a novel idea for understanding GSB resistance mechanism in cucumber.展开更多
Nodulin 26-like intrinsic proteins(NIPs) are a family of channel-forming transmembrane proteins that function in the transport of water and other small molecules.Some NIPs can mediate silicon transport across plasma m...Nodulin 26-like intrinsic proteins(NIPs) are a family of channel-forming transmembrane proteins that function in the transport of water and other small molecules.Some NIPs can mediate silicon transport across plasma membranes and lead to silicon accumulation in plants,which is beneficial for the growth and development of plants.Cucumber is one of the most widely consumed vegetables;however,the functions of NIPs in this crop are still largely unknown.Here,we report the functional characteristics of Cs NIP2;2.It was found that Cs NIP2;2 is a tandem repeat of Cs NIP2;1,which had been demonstrated to be a silicon influx transporter gene.Cs NIP2;2 has a selectivity filter composed of cysteine,serine,glycine and arginine(CSGR),which is different from all previously characterized silicon influx transporters in higher plants at the second helix position.Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with Cs NIP2;2 c RNA demonstrated a higher uptake of silicon than the control,and the uptake remained unchanged under low temperature.Cs NIP2;2 was found to be expressed in the root,stem,lamina and petiole,and exogenous silicon treatment decreased its expression in the stem but not in other tissues.Transient expression of Cs NIP2;2-e GFP fusion sequence in onion epidermal cells showed that Cs NIP2;2 was localized to the cell nucleus,plasma membrane and an unknown structure inside the cell.The results suggest that Cs NIP2;2 is a silicon influx transporter in cucumber,and its subcellular localization and the selectivity filter are different from those of the previously characterized silicon influx transporters in other plants.These findings may be helpful for understanding the functions of NIPs in cucumber plants.展开更多
Genetic diversity of 50 cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) accessions from American, Holland, Japan and China was detected and evaluated using RAPD markers. 25 selected primers produced 215 scorable polymorphic RAPD bands ...Genetic diversity of 50 cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) accessions from American, Holland, Japan and China was detected and evaluated using RAPD markers. 25 selected primers produced 215 scorable polymorphic RAPD bands and the ratio of polymorphism is 86.98%. Four main groups of cucumber accessions could be distinguished from UPGMA analysis: Occidental cucumber, South-China cucumber, North-China cucumber and Xishuangbanna cucumber. Our result confirmed that cucumber is a narrow-based germplasm, nevertheless RAPD analysis was stili useful in cucumber genotypic differentiation. More significantly, Xishuangbanna cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. Var Xishuangbannanesis Qi et Yuan), a mutation of cucumber, was clustered together to a special group in the study, which implied its special status in cucumber germplasm.展开更多
Abstract: Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and pectins were detected in the floral buds of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) during its sex determination using the following monoclonal antibodies: MAC 207 (recognizes AGP e...Abstract: Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and pectins were detected in the floral buds of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) during its sex determination using the following monoclonal antibodies: MAC 207 (recognizes AGP epitopes); JIM 8 (recognizes a subset of AGP epitopes); and JIM 5 and JIM 7 (epitopes of pectins esterified to various degrees). In the stem apex meristem (SAM) of the cucumber, epitopes of MAC 207, JIM 7, and JIM 5 were localized in the cells from second to third peripheral layers when the sex organ primodium began to differentiate; epitopes of MAC 207 and JIM 5 were also detected in the ragged edge cells. A very dense labeling signal with MAC 207 was observed in the carpel and pistil primodium. The AGP epitopes recognized by JIM 8 were localized in the anther of the male flower and the anther-like portion of the stagnant stamen of the female flower. This suggests that the AGPs and pectins in the SAM of the cucumber are closely associated with the differentiation of the SAM, from meristematic cells to floral primodium. The subset of AGPs recognized by JIM 8 may play an important role in stamen formation.展开更多
文摘Cucumber powdery mildew is one of the most destructive diseases of cucumber throughout the world. In the present study, inheritance of powdery mildew resistance in three crosses, and linkage of resistance with amplified fragment length polymorphism （AFLP） markers are studied to formulate efficient strategies for breeding cultivars resistant to powdery mildew. The joint analysis of multiple generations and AFLP technique has been applied in this study. The best model is the one with two major genes, additive, dominant, and epistatic effects, plus polygenes with additive, dominant, and epistatic effects （E-l-0 model）. The heritabilities of the major genes varied from 64.26% to 97.82%, and susceptibility was incompletely dominant for the two major genes in the three crosses studied. The additive effects of the two major genes and the dominant effect of the second major gene were high, and the epistatic effect of the additive-dominant between the two major genes was the highest in cross I . In cross II, the absolute value of the additive effect, dominant effect, and potential ratio of the first major gene were far higher than those of the second major gene, and the epistatic effect of the additive-additive was the highest. The genetic parameters of the two major genes in cross III were similar to those in cross II. Correlation and regression analyses showed that marker E25/M63-103 was linked to a susceptible gene controlling powdery mildew resistance. The marker could account for 19.98% of the phenotypic variation. When the marker was tested on a diverse set of 29 cucumber lines, the correlation between phenotype and genotype was not significant, which suggested cultivar specialty of gene expression or different methods of resistance to powdery mildew. The target DNA fragment was 103 bp in length, and only a small part was found to be homologous to DNA in the other species evaluated, which indicated that it was unique to the cucumber genome.
文摘Lipoxygenases are nonheme-iron-containing dioxygenases that catalyze the hydroperoxidation of unsatrated fatty acids containing a cis, cis-1,4-pentadiene structure producing hydroperoxy acids with conjugated dienes.
文摘In the entire world, about 200 million populations are exposed to arsenic poisoning in groundwater. Arsenic is a very poisonous metalloid and has three allotropic forms. The toxic inorganic arsenic is converted and utilized metabolically into organic form. It is primarily eliminated out from the human body through metabolic wastes like urine and is also deposited in the hair, nails and skin of the affected ones. Arsenic is known to be a carcinogen as Carcinogen category 1 in the forms of arsenic trioxide, arsenic pentoxide, arsenous acids, arsenic acid and their salts. The arsenic also affects the epidermal system, the nervous system and the vascular system of humans. In the present investigation for toxicological evaluation of arsenic Liver Function Tests & Kidney Function Tests have been considered. It is presumed that medicinal plants have significance in the present day in view of the lethal diseases like AIDS, cancer, hepatitis, nephritis sterility too for which no effective drugs are found till today in modern system of medicine. Medicinal plant based drugs generally have no side effects or the least side effect. Thus to evaluate an ameliorating effect, if any, to mitigate the arsenic toxicity in mice, for which Cucumis sativus (cucumbers) has been taken as curative measure. Sodium arsenite at the dose of 3 mg/kg body weight was administered for 4 weeks followed by the administration of Cucumis sativus (cucumbers) for 4 and 6 weeks at dose of 500 mg/kg body weight. Their biochemical levels like liver and kidney function tests were assayed and were found with elevated levels. But, after administration of aqueous extract of Cucumis sativus (cucumbers), there was significant amelioration in the biochemical levels. The protective effect of Cucumis sativus (cucumbers) was shown in the form of normalization of enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities represented by normalization of liver and kidney functions.
基金Supported by the"Academic Backbone"Project of Northeast Agricultural University(18XG06)Supporting Certificate of Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Scientific Research Developmental Fund(LBH-Q16021)the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province,China(LH2019C033)。
文摘Plant height in cucumber is not only an important trait for breeding,but also one of the model traits suitable for the study of developmental biology.Amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP)and simple sequence repeat(SSR)markers techniques were applied for the construction of genetic linkage maps in cucumber.To understand the dwarf trait genetic basis in cucumber,the quantitative trait loci(QTL)were identified using F_6 recombinant inbred line populations(RILs)comprising 336 lines from the cross between the two cultivars D0462(the dwarf)and DN129(the vine).In total,six SSR markers and 15 AFLP markers were detected on the five linkage groups covering 152.8 cM with a mean marker interval of 7.28 cM.Only one QTL was found to be linked with plant height and the dwarf trait locus remained in the fourth linkage group.The contributory percentage of the single QTL to plant height was 11.39%.
基金Supported by National Basic Research Program of China( 2009CB119000)National Natural Science Foundation(30871721)~~
文摘[Objective] The research aimed to construct the fusion protein expression vector of α-galactosidase-EGFP （enhanced green fluorescent protein） in cucumber controlled by CaMV35S promoter.[Method] CaMV35S promoter sequence and the coding region of EGFP were amplified by polymerase chain reactions （PCR） with vector pCambia 1303 as the template.Using reverse transcript PCR technology,with total RNAs of cucumber as template,the coding region of acid α-galactosidase Ⅰ in cucumber was amplified.The above three fragments were inserted into the multiple cloning sites of expression vector pCambia 1381c.The fusion expression vector of α-galactosidase-EGFP located at the C-terminal of the target genes was constructed.[Result] After enzyme digestion and sequencing,the fusion expression of α-galactosidase-EGFP in cucumber was constructed successfully.[Conclusion] The research laid the experimental basis for further study on the subcellular localization of α-galactosidase in cucumber.
文摘This article aims to study the effects of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide （EBR） on the changes in ROS, activities of antioxidative enzymes and antioxidants in cucumber （Cucumis sativus L.） seedling roots under hypoxia stress. Seedlings of a hypoxiaresistant cultivar, Lühachun 4, and a hypoxia-sensitive cultivar, Zhongnong 8, were hydroponically grown for 8 d in normoxic or hypoxic nutrient solutions that were added or not added with 10^-3 mg L^-1 EBR. Under hypoxia stress, the ROS levels and the lipid peroxidation were significantly increased in the roots upon exposure to hypoxia stress, which were inhibited by EBR application. The EBR treatment significantly increased the seedlings growth and SOD, APX, GR activities, and contents of AsA and GSH under hypoxia stress. From the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that oxidative damage on seedling roots by hypoxia stress can be considerably alleviated and the tolerance of plants was elevated.
基金the Key Project of Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province(Grant Nos.20171ACB21025 and 20181ACB20012)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31760074).
文摘Tonoplast sugar transporters(TSTs)play essential roles in regulating plant growth,development,and response to various biotic and abiotic stresses.In this study,a total of three TST genes were identified by a genome-wide analysis in cucumber.Phylogenetic analysis showed that TST proteins from cucumber and other plant species can be classified into five groups,and nearly all TST members in the same groups displayed similarmotif distributions,transmembrane(TM)domains,and gene structures.All of the three CsTST genes possess a number of development-,stress-,and hormone-related cis-elements in the promoter sequences.Meanwhile,qRT-PCR assays revealed that the CsTST1 was expressed in fruits,flowers,leaves,and other tissues,and its expression varied significantly under various abiotic stresses such as cold,salt,drought(PEG),and abscisic acid(ABA).Finally,functional analysis of CsTST1 in yeast revealed that it was able to complement the deficiency in galactose,mannose and sucrose transport.These results revealed that CsTST1 can act as a functional sugar transporter to play important roles in cucumber growth and response to abiotic stress probably through affecting carbohydrate distribution.
基金supported by the Earmarked Fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System(Grant No.CARS-23)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(Grant No.CAASASTIP-IVFCAAS)the Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,P.R.China.
文摘Gummy stem blight(GSB),caused by Didymella bryoniae,is a serious fungal disease that leads to decline in cucumber yield and quality.The molecular mechanism of GSB resistance in cucumber remains unclear.Here,we investigated the GSB resistance of cucumber core germplasms from four geographic groups at the seedling and adult stages.A total of 9 SNPs related to GSB resistance at the seedling stage and 26 SNPs at the adult stage were identified,of which some are co-localized to previously mapped Quantitative trait loci(QTLs)for GSB resistance(gsb3.2/gsb3.3,gsb5.1,and gsb-s6.2).Based on haplotype analysis and expression levels after inoculation,four candidate genes were identified within the region identified by both Genome-wide association study(GWAS)and previous identified QTL mapping,including Csa3G129470 for gsb3.2/gsb3.3,Csa5G606820 and Csa5G606850 for gsb5.1,and Csa6G079730 for gsb-s6.2.The novel GSB resistant accessions,significant SNPs,and candidate genes facilitate the breeding of GSB resistant cucumber cultivars and provide a novel idea for understanding GSB resistance mechanism in cucumber.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFD1000800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072561 and 31772290)。
文摘Nodulin 26-like intrinsic proteins(NIPs) are a family of channel-forming transmembrane proteins that function in the transport of water and other small molecules.Some NIPs can mediate silicon transport across plasma membranes and lead to silicon accumulation in plants,which is beneficial for the growth and development of plants.Cucumber is one of the most widely consumed vegetables;however,the functions of NIPs in this crop are still largely unknown.Here,we report the functional characteristics of Cs NIP2;2.It was found that Cs NIP2;2 is a tandem repeat of Cs NIP2;1,which had been demonstrated to be a silicon influx transporter gene.Cs NIP2;2 has a selectivity filter composed of cysteine,serine,glycine and arginine(CSGR),which is different from all previously characterized silicon influx transporters in higher plants at the second helix position.Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with Cs NIP2;2 c RNA demonstrated a higher uptake of silicon than the control,and the uptake remained unchanged under low temperature.Cs NIP2;2 was found to be expressed in the root,stem,lamina and petiole,and exogenous silicon treatment decreased its expression in the stem but not in other tissues.Transient expression of Cs NIP2;2-e GFP fusion sequence in onion epidermal cells showed that Cs NIP2;2 was localized to the cell nucleus,plasma membrane and an unknown structure inside the cell.The results suggest that Cs NIP2;2 is a silicon influx transporter in cucumber,and its subcellular localization and the selectivity filter are different from those of the previously characterized silicon influx transporters in other plants.These findings may be helpful for understanding the functions of NIPs in cucumber plants.
基金This work was supported by Beijing Natural Science Funds
文摘Genetic diversity of 50 cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) accessions from American, Holland, Japan and China was detected and evaluated using RAPD markers. 25 selected primers produced 215 scorable polymorphic RAPD bands and the ratio of polymorphism is 86.98%. Four main groups of cucumber accessions could be distinguished from UPGMA analysis: Occidental cucumber, South-China cucumber, North-China cucumber and Xishuangbanna cucumber. Our result confirmed that cucumber is a narrow-based germplasm, nevertheless RAPD analysis was stili useful in cucumber genotypic differentiation. More significantly, Xishuangbanna cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. Var Xishuangbannanesis Qi et Yuan), a mutation of cucumber, was clustered together to a special group in the study, which implied its special status in cucumber germplasm.
文摘Abstract: Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and pectins were detected in the floral buds of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) during its sex determination using the following monoclonal antibodies: MAC 207 (recognizes AGP epitopes); JIM 8 (recognizes a subset of AGP epitopes); and JIM 5 and JIM 7 (epitopes of pectins esterified to various degrees). In the stem apex meristem (SAM) of the cucumber, epitopes of MAC 207, JIM 7, and JIM 5 were localized in the cells from second to third peripheral layers when the sex organ primodium began to differentiate; epitopes of MAC 207 and JIM 5 were also detected in the ragged edge cells. A very dense labeling signal with MAC 207 was observed in the carpel and pistil primodium. The AGP epitopes recognized by JIM 8 were localized in the anther of the male flower and the anther-like portion of the stagnant stamen of the female flower. This suggests that the AGPs and pectins in the SAM of the cucumber are closely associated with the differentiation of the SAM, from meristematic cells to floral primodium. The subset of AGPs recognized by JIM 8 may play an important role in stamen formation.
