A Comparative Characterization and Expression Profiling Analysis of and Genes: Exploring Their Roles in Cucumber Development and Chlorophyll Biosynthesis

Fructokinase (FRK) and fructokinase-like (FLN), belonging to the phosphofructokinase B type subfamily, share substantial sequence similarity, and are crucial in various plant physiological processes. However, there is limited information regarding what functionally differentiates plant FRKs from FLNs. Here, a total of three s and two s were identified from the cucumber genome. Their significant difference lay in the structure of their G/AXGD motif, which existed as GAGD in s, but as G/ASGD in s. Comparative phylogenetic analysis classified s and s into five sub-branches consistent with their quite different exon/intron organizations. Both transcriptome data and RT-qPCR analyses revealed that was the most active gene, with the highest expression in the majority of tissues tested. Moreover, the expression levels of two putative plastidic genes, and , were significantly positively associated with chlorophyll accumulation in the chlorophyll-reduced cucumber mutant. Briefly, both and genes were involved in the development of sink tissues, especially . and were recognized as candidates in the chlorophyll biosynthesis pathway of cucumber. These results would greatly assist in further investigation on functional characterization of s and s, especially in the development and chlorophyll biosynthesis of cucumber.