Characterization of the tubby-like proteins (TLPs) gene family in Cucumis sativus L.: insights into the evolution, structure, and expression patterns under salt stress

Cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and can be eaten raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable. The yield of cucumber is limited due to many factors including biotic and abiotic stresses. Tubby-like proteins (TLP) family genes are important regulators of growth and development in plants and are involved in a variety of biotic and abiotic stress responses. The specific function of the TLP family in cucumber has not been thoroughly investigated by a genetic study. Hence, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of cucumber TLP family genes using bioinformatics techniques. Herein, a total of 11 TLP proteins were identified from the cucumber genome and further divided into four different subgroups. Moreover, these CsTLPs were distributed randomly on the five chromosomal positions of cucumber. Motif analysis suggested that motif1 was commonly present in all CsTLPs proteins except CsTLP6 . Gene ontology analysis of CsTLPs showed their involvement in the plasma membrane, cellular protein modifications, signal transduction, and stress responses. Similarly, Cis -acting elements showed stress-related elements, validating their role in mitigating various stresses. Expression profiling indicated that CsTLPs expressed dominantly with diverse expression patterns in various organs of the cucumber. The genes CsTLP2 , CsTLP5 , CsTLP7 , and CsTLP10 showed higher expression as compared to the rest of the CsTLPs members under salt stress. The above findings and details can serve as a starting point for further research on TLP function in plants, especially in cucumbers.