A method of transformation and current progress in transgenic research on cucumbers and Cucurbita species

• Published in: Plant Biotechnology Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 141 - 146
• Main Authors: Nanasato, Yoshihiko, Tabei, Yutaka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japanese Society for Plant Biotechnology 25-06-2020; Japan Science and Technology Agency; Japanese Society for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology
• Subjects: Cucumbers; Cucumis sativus; Cucurbita; Cucurbita species; Cucurbitaceae; Cultivars; Genetic transformation; Genome editing; Genomes; Gourds; Pumpkins; regeneration; Review; Species; transformation; Transformations
• ISSN: 1342-4580; 1347-6114
• DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.20.0225a

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and Cucurbita species (squashes, pumpkins, and gourds), belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, are among the major vegetable crops in the world. Transgenic approaches could contribute to the accumulation of new knowledge of these species and to the development of elite cultivars. Despite this, research reports using transformants of these species are very limited so far. One of the reasons for this may be that although there are effective transformation methods, these methods are not well known among researchers. In the present review, we describe efficient protocols for the transformation of cucumber and squash plants and mention possible pitfalls in and advice for following these protocols. In addition, we discuss the current progress of genetic transformation research using cucumbers and squash, including genome editing.