Comparative Analysis of Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Reveals Defense Mechanisms in Melon Cultivars against Pseudoperonospora cubensis Infection

Abstract

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) represents an agriculturally significant horticultural crop that is widely grown for its flavorful fruits. Downy mildew (DM), a pervasive foliar disease, poses a significant threat to global melon production. Although several quantitative trait loci related to DM resistance have been identified, the comprehensive genetic underpinnings of this resistance remain largely uncharted. In this study, we utilized integrative transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches to identify potential resistance-associated genes and delineate the strategies involved in the defense against DM in two melon cultivars: the resistant ‘PI442177′ (‘K10-1′) and the susceptible ‘Huangdanzi’ (‘K10-9′), post-P. cubensis infection. Even in the absence of the pathogen, there were distinctive differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ‘K10-1′ and ‘K10-9′. When P. cubensis was infected, certain genes, including flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO), receptor-like protein kinase FERONIA (FER), and the HD-ZIP transcription factor member, AtHB7, displayed pronounced expression differences between the cultivars. Notably, our data suggest that following P. cubensis infection, both cultivars suppressed flavonoid biosynthesis via the down-regulation of associated genes whilst concurrently promoting lignin production. The complex interplay of transcriptomic and metabolic responses elucidated by this study provides foundational insights into melon’s defense mechanisms against DM. The robust resilience of ‘K10-1′ to DM is attributed to the synergistic interaction of its inherent transcriptomic and metabolic reactions.