Overexpression of hexose transporter CsHT3 increases cellulose content in cucumber fruit peduncle

Hexose transporters play many important roles in plant development. However, the role of hexose transporter in secondary cell wall growth has not been reported before. Here, we report that the hexose transporter gene CsHT3 is mainly expressed in cells with secondary cell walls in cucumber. Spatiotemporal expression analysis revealed that the transcript of CsHT3 mainly accumulates in the stem, petiole, tendril, and peduncle, all of which contain high cellulose levels. Immunolocalization results show that CsHT3 is localized at the sclereids in young peduncles, shifts to the phloem fiber cells during peduncle development, and then shifts again to the companion cells when the development of secondary cell walls is almost completed. Carboxyfluoresce unloading experiment indicated that carbohydrate unloading in the phloem follows an apoplastic pathway. Overexpression of CsHT3 in cucumber plant can improve the cellulose content and cell wall thickness of phloem fiber cells in the peduncle. The expression of cellulose synthase genes were increased in the CsHT3 overexpression plants. These results indicated that CsHT3 may play an important role in cellulose synthesis through promoting the expression of cellulose synthase genes.