CsTs, a C-type lectin receptor-like kinase, regulates the development trichome development and cuticle metabolism in cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit spines are a classic material for researching the development of multicellular trichomes. Some key genes that influence trichome development have been confirmed to be associated with cuticle biosynthesis and secondary metabolism. However, the biological mechanisms underlying trichome development, cuticle biosynthesis, and secondary metabolism in cucumber remain poorly understood. CsTs, a C-type lectin receptor-like kinase gene, reportedly causes a tender trichome phenotype in cucumber when it mutates. In this study, the role of CsTs in cucumber fruit spines morphogenesis was confirmed using gene editing technology. Sectioning and cell wall component detection were used to analyse the main reason of tender fruit spines in the ts mutant. Subsequently, transcriptome data and a series of molecular biology experiments were used to further investigate the relationship between CsTs and cytoskeletal homeostasis in cucumber. CsTs overexpression partially compensated for the abnormal trichome phenotype of an Arabidopsis homolog mutant. Genetic hybridization and metabolic analysis indicated that CsTs and CsMict can affect trichome development and cuticle biosynthesis in the same pathway. Our findings provide important background information for further researching on the molecular mechanism underlying cucumber trichome development and contribute to understanding the biological function of C-type lectin receptor-like kinases.