Assembly and comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of white towel gourd (Luffa cylindrica).

Mitochondria play an important role in the energy production of plant cells through independent genetic systems. This study has aimed to assemble and annotate the functions of the mitochondrial (mt) genome of Luffa cylindrica. The mt genome of L. cylindrica contained two chromosomes with lengths of 380,879 bp and 67,982 bp, respectively. Seventy-seven genes including 39 protein-coding genes, 34 tRNA genes, 3 rRNA genes, and 1 pseudogene, were identified. About 90.63% of the codons ended with A or U bases, and 98.63% of monomers contained A/T, which contributed to the high A/T content (55.91%) of the complete mt genome. Six genes (ATP8, CCMFC, NAD4, RPL10, RPL5 and RPS4) showed positive selection. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that L. cylindrica is closely related to L. acutangula. The present results provide the mt genome of L. cylindrica, which may facilitate possible genetic variation, evolutionary, and molecular breeding studies of L. cylindrica.

Analyzing genetic diversity in luffa and developing a Fusarium wilt-susceptible linked SNP marker through a single plant genome-wide association (sp-GWAS) study.

BACKGROUND: Luffa (Luffa spp.) is an economically important crop of the Cucurbitaceae family, commonly known as sponge gourd or vegetable gourd. It is an annual cross-pollinated crop primarily found in the subtropical and tropical regions of Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas. Luffa serves not only as a vegetable but also exhibits medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects. Moreover, the fiber derived from luffa finds extensive applications in various fields such as biotechnology and construction. However, luffa Fusarium wilt poses a severe threat to its production, and existing control methods have proven ineffective in terms of cost-effectiveness and environmental considerations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop luffa varieties resistant to Fusarium wilt. Single-plant GWAS (sp-GWAS) has been demonstrated as a promising tool for the rapid and efficient identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with target traits, as well as closely linked molecular markers. RESULTS: In this study, a collection of 97 individuals from 73 luffa accessions including two major luffa species underwent single-plant GWAS to investigate luffa Fusarium wilt resistance. Utilizing the double digest restriction site associated DNA (ddRAD) method, a total of 8,919 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. The analysis revealed the potential for Fusarium wilt resistance in accessions from both luffa species. There are 6 QTLs identified from 3 traits, including the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), a putative disease-resistant QTL, was identified on the second chromosome of luffa. Within the region of linkage disequilibrium, a candidate gene homologous to LOC111009722, which encodes peroxidase 40 and is associated with disease resistance in Cucumis melo, was identified. Furthermore, to validate the applicability of the marker associated with resistance from sp-GWAS, an additional set of 21 individual luffa plants were tested, exhibiting 93.75% accuracy in detecting susceptible of luffa species L. aegyptiaca Mill. CONCLUSION: In summary, these findings give a hint of genome position that may contribute to luffa wild resistance to Fusarium and can be utilized in the future luffa wilt resistant breeding programs aimed at developing wilt-resistant varieties by using the susceptible-linked SNP marker.

Identification and antibacterial evaluation of endophytic actinobacteria from Luffa cylindrica.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has limited treatment options and led to the untreatable infections, thereby necessitating the discovery of new antibiotics to battel against bacteria. Natural products from endophytic actinobacteria (EA) serve as a reservoir for discovery of new antibiotics. Therefore, the current study focused on the isolation and antibacterial properties of EA isolated from Luffa cylindrica. Six strains were identified using morphological characterization, SEM analyses and 16S rRNA gene sequencing from the roots and leaves of the plant. They were taxonomically classified as Streptomycetaceae family. This is the first report on EA form L. cylindrica. The strains produced a chain of oval, cubed or cylindrical shaped spores with spiny or smooth surfaces. Three strains; KUMS-B3, KUMS-B4 and KUMS-B6 were reported as endophytes for the first time. Fifty percent of isolates were isolated from leaves samples using YECD medium. Our results showed that the sampling time and seasons may affect the bacterial diversity. All six strains had antibacterial activity against at least one of the tested bacteria S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli. Among the strains, KUMS-B6 isolate, closely related to S. praecox, exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and negative bacteria. KUMS-B6, KUMS-B5 and KUMS-B4 isolates strongly inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa. Interestingly, the strains, isolated from leaves exhibited stronger antagonist activities compared to those isolated from the roots. The study revealed that the isolated strains from Luffa produce a plethora of bioactive substances that are potential source of new drug candidates for the treatment of infections.

Integrated analysis of the transcriptome, sRNAome, and degradome reveals the network regulating fruit skin coloration in sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica).

Sponge gourd fruit skin color is an important quality-related trait because it substantially influences consumer preferences. However, little is known about the miRNAs and genes regulating sponge gourd fruit skin coloration. This study involved an integrated analysis of the transcriptome, sRNAome, and degradome of sponge gourd fruit skins with green skin (GS) and white skin (WS). A total of 4,331 genes were differentially expressed between the GS and WS, with 2,442 down-regulated and 1,889 up-regulated genes in WS. The crucial genes involved in chlorophyll metabolism, chloroplast development, and chloroplast protection were identified (e.g., HEMA, CHLM, CRD1, POR, CAO, CLH, SGR, CAB, BEL1-like, KNAT, ARF, and peroxidase genes). Additionally, 167 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, with 70 up-regulated and 97 down-regulated miRNAs in WS. Degradome sequencing identified 125 differentially expressed miRNAs and their 521 differentially expressed target genes. The miR156, miR159, miR166, miR167, miR172, and miR393 targeted the genes involved in chlorophyll metabolism, chloroplast development, and chloroplast protection. Moreover, a flavonoid biosynthesis regulatory network was established involving miR159, miR166, miR169, miR319, miR390, miR396, and their targets CHS, 4CL, bHLH, and MYB. The qRT-PCR data for the differentially expressed genes were generally consistent with the transcriptome results. Subcellular localization analysis of selected proteins revealed their locations in different cellular compartments, including nucleus, cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum. The study findings revealed the important miRNAs, their target genes, and the regulatory network controlling fruit skin coloration in sponge gourd.

Interspecific hybridization between sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.) and 'Satputia' (Luffa hermaphrodita Singh & Bhandari) for preintrogression of cluster bearing, high yield and gynoecism.

Interspecific hybridization with 'Satputia' (bisexual and cluster bearing) can be highly useful for the introgression of cluster bearing, high yield and gynoecism in sponge gourd (monoecious and solitary bearing). However, the occurrence of self-pollination in closed flowers and anthesis of two species at different time intervals creates hindrance in interspecific hybridization. The present investigation highlighted that the reciprocal interspecific cross (Satputia × sponge gourd) is more successful for development of F1 hybrid and its further utilization in development of segregating generations. Pre-anthesis emasculation (28 h before anthesis) of Satputia buds in the evening and pollination with sponge gourd (PSG-9) in the morning on the day of anthesis resulted in high fruit set. Interspecific hybrids were monoecious and morphologically intermediate for most of the vegetative, flower and fruit traits. The seed of hybrid vines was vigorous than both the parents with respect to size and weight. Ample pollen production, pollen viability and high fruit set on selfing confirmed the fertility status of vines. Although pollen size was less than both the parents, but the pollen density improved in F1 vines. Fertile hybrids could be easily used to generate F2 and BC1P2 and TCH segregating generations. In F2 generation, gynoecious, adroecious, andromonoecoius, monoecious and cluster bearing vines of variable length and fruit size were observed. In back cross and triple cross generations, most of the vines were monoecious except a few adroecious and gynoecious with improved fruit size, vine growth and bearing capacity. Backcross and triple cross with sponge gourd displayed a shift towards this species.

A mutation in LacDWARF1 results in a GA-deficient dwarf phenotype in sponge gourd (Luffa acutangula).

KEY MESSAGE: A dwarfism gene LacDWARF1 was mapped by combined BSA-Seq and comparative genomics analyses to a 65.4 kb physical genomic region on chromosome 05. Dwarf architecture is one of the most important traits utilized in Cucurbitaceae breeding because it saves labor and increases the harvest index. To our knowledge, there has been no prior research about dwarfism in the sponge gourd. This study reports the first dwarf mutant WJ209 with a decrease in cell size and internodes. A genetic analysis revealed that the mutant phenotype was controlled by a single recessive gene, which is designated Lacdwarf1 (Lacd1). Combined with bulked segregate analysis and next-generation sequencing, we quickly mapped a 65.4 kb region on chromosome 5 using F2 segregation population with InDel and SNP polymorphism markers. Gene annotation revealed that Lac05g019500 encodes a gibberellin 3ß-hydroxylase (GA3ox) that functions as the most likely candidate gene for Lacd1. DNA sequence analysis showed that there is an approximately 4 kb insertion in the first intron of Lac05g019500 in WJ209. Lac05g019500 is transcribed incorrectly in the dwarf mutant owing to the presence of the insertion. Moreover, the bioactive GAs decreased significantly in WJ209, and the dwarf phenotype could be restored by exogenous GA3 treatment, indicating that WJ209 is a GA-deficient mutant. All these results support the conclusion that Lac05g019500 is the Lacd1 gene. In addition, RNA-Seq revealed that many genes, including those related to plant hormones, cellular process, cell wall, membrane and response to stress, were significantly altered in WJ209 compared with the wild type. This study will aid in the use of molecular marker-assisted breeding in the dwarf sponge gourd.

Genetic diversity and population structure of ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula) accessions in a Thailand collection using SNP markers.

This study explored a germplasm collection consisting of 112 Luffa acutangula (ridge gourd) accessions, mainly from Thailand. A total of 2834 SNPs were used to establish population structure and underlying genetic diversity while exploring the fruit characteristics together with genetic information which would help in the selection of parental lines for a breeding program. The study found that the average polymorphism information content value of 0.288 which indicates a moderate genetic diversity for this L. acutangula germplasm. STRUCTURE analysis (ΔK at K = 6) allowed us to group the accessions into six subpopulations that corresponded well with the unrooted phylogenetic tree and principal coordinate analyses. When plotted, the STRUCTURE bars to the area of collection, we observed an admixed genotype from surrounding accessions and a geneflow confirmed by the value of FST = 0.137. AMOVA based on STRUCTURE clustering showed a low 12.83% variation between subpopulations that correspond well with the negative inbreeding coefficient value (FIS = - 0.092) and low total fixation index (FIT = 0.057). There were distinguishing fruit shapes and length characteristics in specific accessions for each subpopulation. The genetic diversity and different fruit shapes in the L. acutangula germplasm could benefit the ridge gourd breeding programs to meet the demands and needs of consumers, farmers, and vegetable exporters such as increasing the yield of fruit by the fruit width but not by the fruit length to solve the problem of fruit breakage during exportation.

Reference gene selection for qRT-PCR analyses of luffa (Luffa cylindrica) plants under abiotic stress conditions.

Selecting suitable internal reference genes is an important prerequisite for the application of quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). However, no systematic studies have been conducted on reference genes in luffa. In this study, seven reference genes were selected, and their expression levels in luffa plants exposed to various simulated abiotic stresses [i.e., cold, drought, heat, salt, H2O2, and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments] were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The stability of the reference gene expression levels was validated using the geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder algorithms. The results indicated that EF-1α was the most stably expressed and suitable reference gene overall and for the heat, cold, and ABA treatments. Additionally, UBQ expression was stable following the salt treatment, whereas TUB was identified as a suitable reference gene for H2O2 and drought treatments. The reliability of the selected reference genes was verified by analyzing the expression of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) gene in luffa. When the most unstable reference genes were used for data normalizations, the resulting expression patterns had obvious biases when compared with the expression patterns for the most ideal reference genes used alone or combined. These results will be conducive to more accurate quantification of gene expression levels in luffa.

De novo assemblies of Luffa acutangula and Luffa cylindrica genomes reveal an expansion associated with substantial accumulation of transposable elements.

Luffa spp. (sponge gourd or ridge gourd) is an economically important vegetable crop widely cultivated in China, India and Southeast Asia. Here, we employed PacBio long-read single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to perform de novo genome assemblies of two commonly cultivated Luffa species, L. acutangula and L. cylindrica. We obtained preliminary draft genomes of 734.6 Mb and 689.8 Mb with scaffold N50 of 786,130 and 578,616 bases for L. acutangula and L. cylindrica, respectively. We also applied long-range Chicago and HiC techniques to obtain the first chromosome-scale whole-genome assembly of L. acutangula. The final assembly contained 13 pseudomolecules, corresponding to the haploid chromosome number in Luffa spp. (1n = 13, 2n = 26). The sizes of the assembled Luffa genomes are approximately twice as large as the genome assemblies of related Cucurbitaceae. A large proportion of L. acutangula (62.17%; 456.69 Mb) and L. cylindrica (56.78%; 391.65 Mb) genome assemblies contained repetitive elements. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the substantial accumulation of transposable elements likely contributed to the expansion of the Luffa genomes. We also investigated alternative splicing events in Luffa using full-length transcript sequences obtained from PacBio Isoform Sequencing (Iso-seq). While the predominant form of alternative splicing in most plant species examined was intron retention, alternative 3' acceptor site selection appeared to be a major event observed in Luffa. High-quality genome assemblies for L. acutangula and L. cylindrica reported here provide valuable resources for Luffa breeding and future genetics and comparative genomics studies in Cucurbitaceae.

Construction of a high-density genetic linkage map and identification of gene controlling resistance to cucumber mosaic virus in Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. based on specific length amplified fragment sequencing.

Luffa cylindrica L. is a cash crop which has important health, medicinal and industrial value, but no high saturation genetic map has been constructed owing to a lack of efficient markers. Furthermore, no genes were reportedly responsible for CMV resistance in Luffa spp. Specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) is a valuable tool for large-scale discovery of markers and genetic mapping. The present study reported the construction of a high-density genetic map and the mapping of CMV resistant genes by using an F2 population of 130 individuals and their two inbred line parents. A total of 271.01 Mb pair-end reads were generated. 100,077 high-quality SLAFs were detected, and 7404 of them were polymorphic. Finally, 3701 of the polymorphic markers were selected for genetic map construction, and 13 linkage groups were generated. The map spanned 1518.56 cM with an average distance of 0.41 cM between adjacent markers. Based on the newly constructed high-density map, one gene located on chromosome 1 (100.072-100.457 cM) was identified to regulate CMV resistance in L. cylindrica. A gag-polypeptide of LTR copia-type retrotransposon was predicted as the candidate gene responsible for CMV resistance in L. cylindrica. The high-density genetic map and the CMV resistant gene mapped and predicted in this study will be useful in future research.

Transcriptome analysis of Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem response to infection with Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV).

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) can cause serious losses in Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. Chemical application to control CMV is ineffective and environmentally unfriendly. The development of resistant hybrids is the best way to control CMV disease. Elucidating the virus-host interaction of CMV and molecular basis underlying Luffa spp. resistance against CMV would undoubtedly facilitate breeding for resistance against CMV disease. Transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) caused by CMV infection. A total of 138,336 unigenes were assembled, and 74,525 unigenes were annotated. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that the three major enrichment pathways (according to the p-values) were flavonoid biosynthesis, sulfur metabolism, and photosynthesis. Genes involved in basal defenses, probably R genes, were determined to be related to CMV resistance. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we validated the differential expression of 8 genes. A number of genes associated with CMV resistance were found in this study. This study provides transcriptomic information regarding CMV-Luffa spp. interactions and will shed light on our understanding of host-virus interactions.

Long-read sequencing and de novo assembly of the Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. genome.

Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem.) or luffa is a diploid herbaceous plant with 26 chromosomes (2n = 26) and belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. To address the limited knowledge of the genome of Luffa species, the chromosome-level genome of L. cylindrica was assembled and analysed using PacBio long reads and Hi-C data. We combined Hi-C data with a draft genome assembly to generate chromosome-length scaffolds. Thirteen scaffolds corresponding to the 13 chromosomes were assembled from 1,156 contigs to a final size of 669 Mb with a contig N50 size of 5 Mb and a scaffold N50 size of 53 Mb. After removing redundant sequences, 416.31 Mb (62.18% of the genome) of repeat sequences was detected. Subsequently, 31,661 protein-coding genes with an average of 5.69 exons per gene were identified in the L. cylindrica genome using de novo methods, transcriptome data and homologue-based approaches. In addition, 27,552 protein-coding genes (87.02%) were annotated in five databases. According to the phylogenetic analysis, L. cylindrica is closely related to Cucurbita and Cucumis species and diverged from their common ancestor ~28.6-67.1 million years ago. Genome collinearity analysis was performed in Cucurbita moschata, Cucumis sativus and L. cylindrica, and it demonstrated a high degree of conserved gene order in these three species. The completeness of the genome will provide high-quality genomic knowledge on breeding and reveal genetic variation in L. cylindrica.

The establishment of the species-delimits and varietal-identities of the cultivated germplasm of Luffa acutangula and Luffa aegyptiaca in Sri Lanka using morphometric, organoleptic and phylogenetic approaches.

Luffa acutangula and L. aegyptiaca are two vegetable species commonly found in South and South East Asia. L. acutangula is widely grown; however, L. aegyptiaca is considered as an underutilized crop. The species delimits, phylogenetic positions, and the varietal identities of L. acutangula and L. aegyptiaca in Sri Lanka are not known. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to establish the species delimits and varietal identities of L. acutangula and L. aegyptiaca varieties grown in Sri Lanka using morphometric, phylogenetic and organoleptic assessments. We assessed five varieties of L. acutangula and three varieties of L. aegyptiaca. The vegetative and reproductive data were collected for the morphometric analysis and DNA sequence polymorphism of the makers rbcL, trnH-psbA and ITS for the phylogenetic analysis. We also conducted an organoleptic assessment based on taste parameters; aroma, bitterness, color, texture, and overall preference using the dishes prepared according to the most common Sri Lankan recipe for Luffa. The variation of the vegetative and reproductive traits grouped L. acutangula varieties into two distinct clusters. The trnH-psbA polymorphism provided the basis for the species delimits of L. acutangula and L. aegyptiaca. The rbcL and ITS polymorphisms provided the basis for the identities of the varieties of L. aegyptiaca and L. acutangula respectively. In the phylogeny, the L. acutangula varieties of Sri Lanka formed a unique clade and the L. aegyptiaca varieties formed a reciprocal monophyletic group in comparison to worldwide L. aegyptiaca reported. The taste parameters aroma, texture, color, and overall preference were significantly different among the Luffa varieties. The L. aegyptiaca varieties received lower preference in the organoleptic assessment. The present study sets the species delimits, phylogenetic positions and the varietal identities of the cultivated germplasm of Luffa and revealed the distinct morphological and organoleptic properties of each variety.

De novo sequencing and analysis of the transcriptome during the browning of fresh-cut Luffa cylindrica 'Fusi-3' fruits.

Fresh-cut luffa (Luffa cylindrica) fruits commonly undergo browning. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating this process. We used the RNA-seq technique to analyze the transcriptomic changes occurring during the browning of fresh-cut fruits from luffa cultivar 'Fusi-3'. Over 90 million high-quality reads were assembled into 58,073 Unigenes, and 60.86% of these were annotated based on sequences in four public databases. We detected 35,282 Unigenes with significant hits to sequences in the NCBInr database, and 24,427 Unigenes encoded proteins with sequences that were similar to those of known proteins in the Swiss-Prot database. Additionally, 20,546 and 13,021 Unigenes were similar to existing sequences in the Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups of proteins and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases, respectively. Furthermore, 27,301 Unigenes were differentially expressed during the browning of fresh-cut luffa fruits (i.e., after 1-6 h). Moreover, 11 genes from five gene families (i.e., PPO, PAL, POD, CAT, and SOD) identified as potentially associated with enzymatic browning as well as four WRKY transcription factors were observed to be differentially regulated in fresh-cut luffa fruits. With the assistance of rapid amplification of cDNA ends technology, we obtained the full-length sequences of the 15 Unigenes. We also confirmed these Unigenes were expressed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. This study provides a comprehensive transcriptome sequence resource, and may facilitate further studies aimed at identifying genes affecting luffa fruit browning for the exploitation of the underlying mechanism.

Genome Survey Sequencing of Luffa Cylindrica L. and Microsatellite High Resolution Melting (SSR-HRM) Analysis for Genetic Relationship of Luffa Genotypes.

Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. is an economically important vegetable crop in China. However, the genomic information on this species is currently unknown. In this study, for the first time, a genome survey of L. cylindrica was carried out using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. In total, 43.40 Gb sequence data of L. cylindrica, about 54.94× coverage of the estimated genome size of 789.97 Mb, were obtained from HiSeq 2500 sequencing, in which the guanine plus cytosine (GC) content was calculated to be 37.90%. The heterozygosity of genome sequences was only 0.24%. In total, 1,913,731 contigs (>200 bp) with 525 bp N50 length and 1,410,117 scaffolds (>200 bp) with 885.01 Mb total length were obtained. From the initial assembled L. cylindrica genome, 431,234 microsatellites (SSRs) (≥5 repeats) were identified. The motif types of SSR repeats included 62.88% di-nucleotide, 31.03% tri-nucleotide, 4.59% tetra-nucleotide, 0.96% penta-nucleotide and 0.54% hexa-nucleotide. Eighty genomic SSR markers were developed, and 51/80 primers could be used in both "Zheda 23" and "Zheda 83". Nineteen SSRs were used to investigate the genetic diversity among 32 accessions through SSR-HRM analysis. The unweighted pair group method analysis (UPGMA) dendrogram tree was built by calculating the SSR-HRM raw data. SSR-HRM could be effectively used for genotype relationship analysis of Luffa species.

Overexpression of the ascorbate peroxidase gene from eggplant and sponge gourd enhances flood tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.

Previously, we found that the flood resistance of eggplant (Solanum melongena) and sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) enhanced ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity under flooding, and consequently, both the SmAPX and LcAPX genes were cloned. In this study, the SmAPX and LcAPX genes were transferred under a ubiquitin promoter to Arabidopsis (At) via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The expression and amount of APX and APX activities of the SmAPX and LcAPX transgenic lines were significantly higher than those of non-transgenic (NT) plants under a waterlogged condition. Furthermore, the SmAPX, LcAPX, At-sucrose synthases (SUS)-1, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) genes were overexpressed in all transgenic Arabidopsis lines after flooding treatment. Compared to NT plants, the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and H2O2 accumulation were significantly lower, but germination rates were significantly higher in all transgenic lines with higher APX activity, indicating that the overexpression of SmAPX and LcAPX in Arabidopsis could enhance flood tolerance by eliminating H2O2. Moreover, Arabidopsis seedlings overexpressing SmAPX and LcAPX also displayed greater resistance to flooding and less oxidative injury than NT plants subjected to flooding condition.

Genome-wide transcriptome profiling reveals novel insights into Luffa cylindrica browning.

Luffa cylindrica (sponge gourd) is one of the most popular vegetables in China. Production and consumption of L. cylindrica are limited due to postharvest browning; however, little is known about the genetic regulation of the browning process. In the present study, transcriptome profiles of L. cylindrica cultivars, YLB05 (browning resistant) and XTR05 (browning sensitive), were analyzed using next-generation sequencing to clarify the genes and mechanisms associated with browning. A total of 9.1 Gb of valid data including 116,703 unigenes (>200 bp) were obtained and 39,473 sequences were annotated by alignment against five public databases. Of these, there were 27,407 genes assigned to 747 Gene Ontology functional categories; and 12,350 genes were annotated with 25 Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOG) categories with 343 KOG functional terms. Additionally, by searching against the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, 8689 unigenes were mapped to 189 pathways. Furthermore, there were 24,556 sequences found to be differentially regulated, including 4344 annotated unigenes. Several genes potentially associated with phenolic oxidation, carbohydrate and hormone metabolism were found differentially regulated between the cultivars of different browning sensitivities. Our results suggest that elements involved in enzymatic processes and other pathways might be responsible for L. cylindrica browning. The present study provides a comprehensive transcriptome sequence resource, which will facilitate further studies on gene discovery and exploiting the fruit browning mechanism of L. cylindrica.

The sub/supra-optimal temperature-induced inhibition of photosynthesis and oxidative damage in cucumber leaves are alleviated by grafting onto figleaf gourd/luffa rootstocks.

Shoot-root communication is involved in plant stress responses, but its mechanism is largely unknown. To determine the role of roots in stress tolerance, cucumber (Cucumis sativus) shoots from plants with roots of their own or with figleaf gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia, a chilling-tolerant species) or luffa (Luffa cylindrica (L.) M. Roem., a heat-tolerant species) rootstocks were exposed to low (18/13°C), optimal (27/22°C) and high (36/31°C) temperatures, respectively. Grafting onto figleaf gourd and luffa rootstocks significantly alleviated chilling and heat-induced reductions, respectively, in biomass production and CO(2) assimilation capacity in the shoots, while levels of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation were decreased. Figleaf gourd and luffa rootstocks upregulated a subset of stress-responsive genes involved in signal transduction (MAPK1 and RBOH), transcriptional regulation (MYB and MYC), protein protection (HSP45.9 and HSP70), the antioxidant response (Cu/Zn-SOD, cAPX and GR), and photosynthesis (RBCL, RBCS, RCA and FBPase) at low and high growth temperatures, respectively, and this was accompanied by increased activity of the encoded enzymes and reduced glutathione redox homeostasis in the leaves. Moreover, Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70) expression in cucumber leaves was strongly induced by the luffa rootstock at the high growth temperature but slightly induced by the figleaf gourd rootstock at low or high growth temperatures. These results indicate that rootstocks could induce significant changes in the transcripts of stress-responsive and defense-related genes, and the ROS scavenging activity via unknown signals, especially at stressful growth temperatures, and this is one of mechanisms involved in the grafting-induced stress tolerance.

Loofa (Luffa cylindrica) sponge: review of development of the biomatrix as a tool for biotechnological applications.

The review discusses the development of loofa sponge (Luffa cylindrica) as a biotechnological tool and the diversity of applications in which it has been successfully used since it was first reported as a matrix for the immobilization of microbiological cells in 1993. The fibro-vascular reticulated structure, made up of an open network of random lattices of small cross-sections coupled with very high porosity (79-93%), having very low density (0.02-0.04 g/cm(3) ), and high specific pore volume (21-29 cm(3) /g), has the characteristics of a carrier/scaffold well-suited for cell immobilization. This has been confirmed through the immobilization of cells of diverse types, including filamentous and microalgae, fungi, bacteria, yeasts, higher plants, and human and rat hepatocytes. The cells immobilized in loofa sponge have performed well and better than free suspended cells and those immobilized in conventionally used natural and synthetic polymeric materials for the production of ethanol, organic acids, enzymes, and secondary metabolites. The loofa-immobilized cell systems have been efficiently used for the treatment of wastewaters containing toxic metals, dyes, and chlorinated compounds, and the technology has been used to develop biofilms for the remediation of domestic and industrial wastewaters rich in inorganic and organic matter. In addition, three-dimensional loofa sponge scaffolds for hepatocyte culture have been suggested to have the potential for development into a bioartificial liver device. Loofa sponge is a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and easy to handle matrix that has been used successfully as a biotechnological tool in a variety of systems, purposes, and applications.

Cloning and soluble expression of mature alpha-luffin from Luffa cylindrica and its antitumor activities in vitro.

Luffin-a, a single-chain Type I ribosome-inactivating protein, which is known to be the most toxic of the luffin family and apparently possesses antitumor activity, was isolated from Luffa cylindrica seeds. In the present study, mature alpha-luffin was cloned from L. cylindrica and it was found that mature alpha-luffin shared 96% amino acid similarity with luffin-a. The recombinant mature alpha-luffin was successfully expressed in a partly soluble form in Escherichia coli after optimization of expression conditions. The effects of the recombinant protein on bacterial growth and its in vitro protein synthesis inhibition activity were tested. Then, its antitumor activities against different human cancer cell lines were evaluated by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The results indicated that the recombinant alpha-luffin was slightly toxic to E. coli. It could inhibit protein synthesis in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. At the same time, it inhibited the growth of the tumor cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Additionally, recombinant alpha-luffin was able to induce cell death by apoptosis. The cytotoxicity of alpha-luffin towards tumor cells makes it a potential antitumor agent.