Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
South African Journal of Botany, cilt.189, ss.539-550, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The COBRA-Like (COBL) gene family encodes plant-specific glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins that play central roles in cellulose deposition, cell wall organization, and directional cell expansion. Despite the functions of COBL genes have been analysed across numerous species, the specific members of this family in melon remain undetermined. This study investigated the genetic response of melon plants to two irrigation regimes: a control group and a drought stress group. Genome-wide analyses were conducted to identify nine CmCOBL genes, which were subsequently characterized in term of their structural features, evolutionary relationships, and expression profiles under these conditions. Bioinformatics analysis revealed conserved motifs, cis-regulatory elements, and phylogenetic clustering consistent with functional diversification across the Cucurbitaceae. Tissue-specific transcriptome analysis demonstrated diverse expression patterns, with CmCOBL1, CmCOBL4, and CmCOBL7 highly expressed in fruit and floral tissues, suggesting key roles in development. RT-qPCR analysis under drought stress conditions in four melon genotypes (ATM01, ATM02, ATM03, and ATM07) indicated genotype-dependent induction of CmCOBL1, CmCOBL3, CmCOBL4, and CmCOBL6, highlighting their potential involvement in cell wall remodelling and stress adaptation. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary patterns and regulatory roles of melon COBL genes, offering a foundation for their functional analysis and the selection of candidate genes for breeding drought-tolerant melon cultivars.