Genetic and Transcriptome Analysis of Leaf Trichome Development in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis) and Molecular Marker Development

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis) is one of the vegetables with the largest cultivated area in China and has been a great addition to the daily diet of Chinese people. A genetic map has been constructed in our previous study using the F(2) population of two inbred lines of Chinese cabbage, namely “G291” (a hairy line) and “ZHB” (a hairless line), based on which a candidate gene related to trichome traits was identified on chromosome A06 with a phenotypic variance of 47%. A molecular marker was found to co-segregate with the trichome traits of the F(2) population, which is in the 5′-flanking region of BrGL1, and a corresponding patent has been granted (NO. CN 108545775 B). Transcriptome analysis was carried out on the cotyledon, the first true leaf and the leaf closest to each inflorescence of F(2) individuals of “G291 × ZHB” with or without trichomes, respectively. Ten pathways, including 189 DEGs, were identified to be involved in the development of trichomes in Chinese cabbage, which may be specifically related to the development of leaf trichomes. Most of the pathways were related to the biosynthesis of the secondary metabolites, which may help plants to adapt to the ever-changing external environment. DEGs also enriched the “plant-pathogen interaction” pathway, which is consistent with the conclusion that trichomes are related to the disease resistance of plants. Our study provides a basis for future research on the occurrence and development of trichomes in Chinese cabbage.