Overexpression and VIGS system for functional gene validation in oriental melon (Cucumis melo var. makuwa Makino)

As one of the effective and powerful methods for gene function analysis in plants, transient overexpression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system were developed for oriental melon (Cucumis melo var. makuwa Makino). Here, the full-length of CmLOX10, the conserved domains of CmLOX10 and CmPDS were isolated from oriental melon. The vectors for overexpression of CmLOX10, and the VIGS vector of CmLOX10 and CmPDS were constructed and transformed into agrobacterium, respectively. Especially, the sprout absorption method was performed on oriental melon, and CmPDS was selected as a reporter gene in VIGS. The expression level of CmLOX10 significantly increased in the oriental melon with the CmLOX10 overexpression construct, and lipoxygenases (LOXs) contributed to the leaf cell death in the oriental melon. The expression levels of CmLOX10 and CmPDS were significantly decreased in plants with the VIGS construct, and there was albino phenotype in CmPDS silencing leaves. In this study, CmLOX10 gene was silenced using Tobacco rattle virus based VIGS system firstly. These results proved that the transient expression technology provides an excellent tool to explore gene function in oriental melon. Key messageTransient over-expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system could be performed successfully in oriental melon by leaf agro-infiltration and sprout absorption methods, respectively.