# Patent

## Title
Powdery mildew resistance providing genes in Cucumis sativus

## Abstract

The present invention relates to powdery mildew resistance providing genes of the Cucumis family, and especially Cucumis sativus, wherein said resistance is provided by impairment of the present genes. Further, the present invention relates plants comprising the present impaired resistance conferring genes and seeds, embryos or other propagation material thereof. Especially, the present invention relates to powdery mildew resistance conferring genes, wherein the amino acid sequence encoded by said resistance conferring gene is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 16, SEQ ID No. 18, SEQ ID No. 20 and SEQ ID No. 22, and amino acid sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity.

## Background
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2012/052843 filed Feb. 20, 2012, and claims priority to International Application No. PCT/EP2011/053054, filed Mar. 1, 2011, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The Sequence Listing associated with this application is filed in electronic format via EFS-Web and is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification in its entirety. The name of the text file containing the Sequence Listing is 133292_ST25.txt. The size of the text file is 109,616 bytes, and the text file was created on Feb. 6, 2014.
The present invention relates to powdery mildew resistance providing genes of Cucumis sativus, wherein said resistance is provided by impairment of the present genes either at the expression or protein level. Further, the present invention relates to plants comprising the present resistance conferring genes and seeds, embryos or other propagation material thereof.
Powdery mildew (PM) is one of the main fungal diseases known in plants belonging to the Cucumis family such as Cucumis sativus (cucumber), both in the field and greenhouse.
Powdery mildew diseases are generally caused by many different species of fungi of the order Erysiphales. The disease is characterized by distinctive symptoms such as white powder-like spots on the leaves and stems. Generally, the lower leaves are the most affected, but the mildew can appear on any part of the plant that is exposed above ground. As the disease progresses, the spots get larger and thicker as massive numbers of spores form, and the mildew spreads up and down the length of the plant such as on the stem and even the fruits.
Severely affected leaves can become dry and brittle, or can wither and die. Because of the infection, the fruits can be smaller in size, fewer in number, less able to be successfully stored, sun scalded, incompletely ripe, and having a poor flavor. It may also predispose plants to be more vulnerable to other pathogens. Eventually, the plant can die.
Powdery mildew can, amongst others, be caused by the fungus Sphaerotheca fuliginea (recently renamed: Podosphaera xanthii also designated as Oidium erysiphoides) and/or Erysiphe cichoracearum DC (recently renamed: Golovinomyces cichoracearum also designated as Oidium chrysanthemi).
Considering the economic importance of Cucumis plant species, such as cucumber, there is a continued need in the art to provide powdery mildew resistance providing genes.
In view of the above need in the art, it is an object of the present invention, amongst other objects, to meet this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, this object, amongst other objects, is met by a powdery mildew resistance conferring gene as defined in the appended claim 1.
Specifically, this object of the present invention, amongst other objects, is met by a powdery mildew resistance conferring gene, wherein the amino acid sequence encoded by said resistance conferring gene is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 16, SEQ ID No. 18, SEQ ID No. 20 and SEQ ID No. 22, and amino acid sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity such as more than 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%; and wherein said resistance conferring gene is impaired.
The object of the present invention, amongst other objects, is additionally met by a powdery mildew resistance conferring gene, wherein the cDNA sequence transcribed from said resistance conferring gene is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 1, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 7, SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 17, SEQ ID No. 19, and SEQ ID No. 21, and cDNA sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity such as more than 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%; and wherein said resistance conferring gene is impaired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1: shows Relative expression levels of CsKIP2 in a selection of cucumber germplasm. Average values of expression per group either in absence (−) or presence (+) of a transposon are added including standard deviation error bars. Bar colors indicate the reference gene used to make the calculations.
FIG. 2: shows DNA fragments of CsKIP2 amplified with primers ID3 (SEQ ID NO: 25) and ID4 (SEQ ID NO: 26) and visualized by gel electrophoresis (2% agarose, 10 v/cm, 40 minutes).
FIG. 3: shows cDNA sequence alignment of lines with absence (top strand, SEQ ID NO: 27) and presence (bottom strand, SEQ ID NO: 27) and presence (bottom strand) of a transposon-like element in CsKIP2 genomic DNA. Here, a 72 by deletion is visible in cDNA derived from lines with the transposon-like element present. Primer binding positions are shown in bold italic characters.
FIG. 4: shows an amino acid alignment of CsKIP9 alleles of powdery mildew susceptible and powdery mildew resistant CsKIP9 alleles. The amino acid sequences shown in FIG. 4 correspond with the following SEQ ID Nos.:
















CsMlo9OK561
SEQ ID No: 29



CsMlo9OK537
SEQ ID No: 30



CsMlo9OK619
SEQ ID No: 31



CsMlo9OK123
SEQ ID No: 32



CsMlo9OK563
SEQ ID No: 33



Consensus
SEQ ID No: 34










DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Impaired resistance conferring gene according to the present invention is meant to indicate a gene providing a reduced, or even absent, susceptibility to powdery mildew caused by fungi indicated by powder-like spots on the leaves and stems, such as fungi belonging to the order Erysiphales such as Sphaerotheca fuliginea (recently renamed: Podosphaera xanthii also designated as Oidium erysiphoides) and/or Erysiphe cichoracearum DC.
Impaired resistance conferring gene-genes according to the present invention are mutated genes. The mutation of the present genes can, through different mechanisms, result in impairment. For example, mutations in protein encoding DNA sequences may lead to mutated, truncated or non-functional proteins. Mutations in non-coding DNA sequences may cause alternative splicing, translation or protein trafficking. Alternatively, a mutation resulting in an altered transcriptional activity of a gene, which determines the amount of mRNA available for translation to protein, may result in low levels, or absence, of proteins. Additionally, the impairment of gene function may be caused after translation, i.e. at protein level.
Impairment according to the present invention is also indicated by observing a powdery mildew resistance in a Cucumis sativus plant comprising a gene which as mutated at the protein level as compared to the SEQ ID Nos. provided herein or no expression of the SEQ ID Nos. provided herein is observed.
Impaired is also indicated herein as a nonfunctional gene or protein. Although the function of the present genes is not yet identified, a non-functional gene or protein can be readily determined by establishing powdery mildew resistance (non-functional) or powdery mildew susceptibility (functional) in a plant. A powdery mildew resistance (non-functional) plant is indicated by comprising a gene which as mutated at the protein level as compared to the SEQ ID Nos. provided herein or no expression of the SEQ ID Nos. provided herein is observed.
Functional and non-functional genes or proteins can also be determined using complementation experiments. For example, transforming a resistant powdery mildew Cucumis sativus plant with any of the present genes or proteins will result in a powdery mildew susceptible Cucumis sativus plant when the gene or protein is functional while the Cucumis sativus plant will remain resistant when the gene or protein is non-functional.
According to the present invention, the present powdery mildew resistance conferring genes provide powdery mildew resistance when the present genes are impaired. Impaired according to the present invention can be indicated by the absence, or decrease of a functional, or non-muted, protein identified herein as SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 16, SEQ ID No. 18, SEQ ID No. 20 or SEQ ID No. 22. In the art, many mechanisms are known resulting in the impairment of a gene either at the transcription, translation or protein level.
For example, impairment at the transcription level can be the result of one or more mutations in transcription regulation sequences, such as promoters, enhancers, and initiation, termination or intron splicing sequences. These sequences are generally located 5′ of, 3′ of, or within the coding sequence represented by SEQ ID No. 1, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 7, SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 17, SEQ ID No. 19, or SEQ ID No. 21. Impairment can also be provided by a deletion, rearrangement or insertion in the present genes.
Impairment at the translation level can be provided by a premature stop-codons or other RNA→protein controlling mechanisms (such as splicing) or posttranslational modifications influencing, for example, protein folding or cellular trafficking.
Impairment at the protein level can be provided by truncated, misfolded or disturbed protein-protein interactions.
Independent of the underlying mechanism, impairment according to the present invention is indicated by a decrease or absence of a functional protein according to SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 16, SEQ ID No. 18, SEQ ID No. 20 or SEQ ID No. 22.
According to a preferred embodiment, impairment according to the present invention is provided by one or more mutations in the present genes resulting in the absence of a protein expression product. As indicated, these mutations can cause a defective expression at the transcription or translation level.
According to another preferred embodiment, impairment according to the present invention is caused by one or more mutations in the present genes resulting in a non-functional protein expression product. A non-functional protein expression product can, for example, be caused by premature stop-codons, incorrect translation or posttranslational processing or by insertions, deletions or amino acid changes.
Using molecular biology methods, impairment of the present genes can also be accomplished by gene silencing, for example using siRNA or knocking out of the present genes. Methods based on EMS or other mutagenic chemical compounds capable of randomly changing nucleic acids into other nucleotides are also contemplated within the context of the present invention. Detection of such mutations typically involves high sensitivity melting curve analyses or nucleotide sequencing-based TILLING procedures.
The present invention relates to nucleotide and amino acid sequences with more than 70%, preferably more than 80%, more preferably more than 90% and most preferably more than 95% sequence identity either at the nucleotide level or the amino acid level.
Sequence identity as used herein is defined as the number of identical consecutive aligned nucleotides, or amino acids, over the full length of the present sequences divided by the number of nucleotides, or amino acids, of the full length of the present sequences and multiplied by 100%.
For example, a sequence with 80% identity to SEQ ID No. 1 comprises over the total length of 1782 nucleotides of SEQ ID No. 15 1426 identical aligned consecutive nucleotides, i.e., 1426/1782*100%=80%.
According to the invention, the present genes are derived from Cucumis sativus. 
According to another aspect, the present invention relates to Cucumis sativus plants comprising in their genome the present impaired powdery mildew resistance conferring genes, i.e., plants not expressing a functional protein selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 16, SEQ ID No. 18, SEQ ID No. 20 and SEQ ID No. 22, and amino acid sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity.
In general, and preferably, the present plants will be homozygous for the present impaired genes, i.e., comprising two impaired powdery mildew resistance conferring genes, wherein the cDNA sequence transcribed from said resistance conferring gene is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 1, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 7, SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 17, SEQ ID No. 19, and SEQ ID No. 21, and cDNA sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity.
Considering the benefits of the present plants, i.e., providing powdery mildew resistance in cucumber plants, the invention also relates to seeds, plant parts or propagation material capable of providing the present powdery mildew resistant cucumber plants which seeds, plant parts or propagation material comprise one or more of the present powdery mildew resistance conferring genes, i.e., impaired powdery mildew resistance conferring genes, wherein the cDNA sequence transcribed from said resistance conferring gene is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 1, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 7, SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 17, SEQ ID No. 19, and SEQ ID No. 21, and cDNA sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity.
According to yet another aspect, the present invention relates to isolated nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 1, SEQ ID No. 3, SEQ ID No. 5, SEQ ID No. 7, SEQ ID No. 9, SEQ ID No. 11, SEQ ID No. 13, SEQ ID No. 15, SEQ ID No. 17, SEQ ID No. 19, and SEQ ID No. 21, and nucleotide sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity.
According to still another aspect, the present invention relates to isolated amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 12, SEQ ID No. 14, SEQ ID No. 16, SEQ ID No. 18, SEQ ID No. 20 and SEQ ID No. 22, and amino acid sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity.
The present invention also relates to the use of one or more of the present powdery mildew resistance conferring genes, one or more of the present isolated nucleotide sequences, or one or more of the present isolated amino acid sequences for providing a powdery mildew resistant cucumber plant (Cucumis sativus). As indicated, the present use is based on impairment, either at the expression or protein level, of the genes described herein and can be readily determined by the presently provided cDNA and amino acid sequences optionally in combination with determination of the presence or absence of powdery mildew resistance and/or in combination with complementation assays.



The present invention will be further described in the examples below of preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the example, reference is made to figures wherein:



EXAMPLES
Example 1
Cucumber Germplasm Screen for Contribution of CsKIP2 Expression Levels and Allelic Variants to Resistance/Susceptibility
Introduction
Impairment of functioning of genes can be caused by different mechanisms. Mutations in protein encoding DNA sequences may be causal for loss-of-function alleles or genes with a change in characteristics. Alternatively, altered transcriptional activity of a gene, which determines the amount of mRNA available for translation to protein, may result in low levels of available proteins. Additionally, the impairment of gene function may be caused after translation, i.e. at protein level.
The present example shows that a mutation (deletion) in the coding sequence of CsKIP2 provides powdery mildew resistance.
Material and Methods
A total of twelve Cucumber germplasm lines varying in powdery mildew resistance levels were selected for analysis. Seeds were germinated under standard greenhouse conditions. Hypocotyls were infected with a local powdery mildew isolate 7 days past sowing followed by infection of the first true leaf 14 days past sowing. Evaluation of reaction phenotypes was performed 28 days past sowing (21 and 14 days post infection for hypocotyls) and phenotypes are scored on a scale of 1-9, where 1 is fully susceptible and 9 is fully resistant.
Material of infected plants was collected for subsequent RNA isolation according to standard procedures (Machery-Nagel RNA Plant). RNA isolation was followed by cDNA synthesis using a standard Oligo-dT primer combined with a reverse transcriptase (Finnzymes) with 1 μg total RNA input.
Expression levels of CsKIP2 were determined with CsKIP2 specific PCR primer pair (table 1, ID1 ID2) amplifying a DNA fragment from exon 5 to exon 7 with a size specific to cDNA, highly different of the product size derived from genomic DNA. In addition, control fragments functioning as internal reference were amplified from three different housekeeping genes i.e. Elongation Factor 1-alpha (EF-1, A. thaliana ortholog At1g07920.1), Protein Phosphatase 2a subunit a2 (PDF2, A. thaliana ortholog At3g25800.1) and Helicase domain containing protein 1 (HEL1, A. thaliana ortholog At1g58050.1).
For specific real time detection of dsDNA during PCR amplification, LCGreen (Idaho Technologies) was added to the PCR reaction mixture at 0.5× concentration. Calculations were made using the ΔΔCt method.
For the detection of allelic variants with CsKIP2, a specific region was targeted in the cDNA. This region is suspected to house a transposon-like element (exon 11 transposon). Primers (table 1, ID3 ID4)) designed to specifically amplify exon 9 (partial), 10 and 11 (partial) of CsKIP2 were used for the detection of this fragment.







TABLE 1





CsKIP2 specific PCR primers

















ID1:
5′ CGACACTTGAGCTTCTGGAG 3′
SEQ ID NO. 23


 


ID2:
5′ GCAAGATGTGCAACAATGAATC 3′
SEQ ID NO. 24


 


ID3:
5′ CCCGCAATGTGGCTATTTGCTGT 3′
SEQ ID NO. 25


 


ID4:
5′ CCCGAGGCTGAACGACCGGA 3′
SEQ ID NO. 26









Results

A selection of 12 germplasm lines from the powdery mildew disease test was made for subsequent expression studies and detection of allelic variation of CsKIP2. Presence or absence of a transposon-like element suspected to be the causative factor of powdery mildew resistance in genomic DNA was done before starting expression studies in order to investigate its effect on expression.
Expression of CsKIP2 in leaf material derived from the selected plants was determined based on the control genes. The results show no general effect of expression based on the obtained data. On average, expression levels observed are similar (FIG. 1)
After determination of expression levels, the allelic variation in the transposon-like element was investigated. The fragment amplified with primers ID3 and ID4 produced a variable fragment of size 199 by or 127 bp (FIG. 2). The smaller fragment was found strictly in resistant plants and correlates to the presence of the transposon in genomic DNA.
The sequence of the fragments was found to be highly similar except for a 72 bp deletion in exon 11, centered around the original position of the transposon in genomic DNA (FIG. 3).
Conclusions
Expression analysis of CsKIP2 in leaf material from infected cucumber plants was carried out in order to assess the involvement of gene expression in resistance. On average, expression levels were similar in resistant and susceptible plants.
The presence of a transposon-like element found in exon 11 of the CsKIP2 gene in genomic DNA was also found not to be correlated to expression levels of CsKIP2.
The presence of the transposon-like element in genomic DNA was found to be related to resistance of plants to powdery mildew. The resistant plants with the transposon-like element in the genomic DNA showed a deletion of 72 bp in exon 11 in the cDNA, compared to susceptible plants.
Apparently, the mechanism responsible for the correct splicing of RNA (i.e. separating exons from introns), splices the transposon-like element from the RNA, along with a part (i.e. 72 bp) of the coding sequence. After translation of mRNA to protein, the 72 bp deletion mRNA results in a protein with a 24 amino acid residue deletion. The 24 amino acid residue deletion protein product (i.e. CsKIP2 from resistant plants) is believed to have lost its function as host-factor.
Example 2
Cucumber Germplasm Screen for Contribution of CsKIP9 Allelic Variants to Resistance/Susceptibility
The cDNA sequence of CsKIP9 of 5 cucumber plants was determined. Table 2 below summarizes the plant plants tested and their powdery mildew resistance.









TABLE 2





Cucumber plants
Powdery mildew resistant
SEQ ID No.







OK561
−
29


OK537
+
30


OK619
+
31


OK123
+
32


OK563
−
33









The amino acid sequences encoded by the cDNAs were aligned as shown in FIG. 4. An amino acid substitution of asparagine (N) by aspartic acid (D) (LEEN to LEED) at position 284 of CsKIP9 (SEQ ID No. 2) was found to correlate with the powdery mildew resistance observed.
Example 3
Powdery Mildew Resistant Cucumber Plant with Non-Function CsKIP9
The cDNA sequence CsKIP9 of a powdery mildew resistant cucumber plant was determined and an amino acid substation in exon 3 was defined. Specifically, the coding sequence of the first amino acids of exon 3 (positions 61 to 63 of SEQ ID No. 2) of functional CsKIP9 are Glutamic acid (E)-Leucine (L)-Methionine (M) [ELM]. However, in the powdery mildew resistant cucumber plant identified, this sequence was mutated to Alanine (A)-Threonine (T)-Isoleucine (I) [ATI] indicating that this substitution in CsKIP9 correlates with the powdery mildew resistance observed.
The powdery mildew resistance providing genes identified herein are summarized in table 3 below. The cDNA and amino acid sequences provided are the powdery mildew resistant genes in their functional form, i.e. providing powdery mildew resistance when impaired at the protein level, such as by mutation, or impaired at the expression level.







TABLE 3







cDNA and amino acid sequences of the present genes














Sequence




gene identity
Plant
type
SEQ ID No.















CsKIP9
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
1





Aa
2



CsKIP2
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
3





aa
4



CsKIP1
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
5





aa
6



CsKIP3
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
7





aa
8



CsKIP4
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
9





aa
10



CsKIP5
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
11





aa
12



CsKIP6
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
13





aa
14



CsKIP7
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
15





aa
16



CsKIP8
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
17





aa
18



CsKIP10
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
19





aa
20



CsKIP11
Cucumis sativus
cDNA
21





aa
22

## Claims

1. An isolated cucumber plant that is resistant to powdery mildew comprising in its genome an impaired powdery-mildew susceptibility gene, wherein the presence of the impaired powdery-mildew susceptibility gene is determinable by an absence or loss of function SEQ ID NO: 2 compared to a cucumber plant that is susceptible to powdery mildew, wherein the impairment is one or more non-natural mutations that cause an absence or loss of function SEQ ID NO: 2.

2. A seed, fruit, plant part, or propagation material of the cucumber plant according to claim 1, wherein the seed, fruit, plant part, or propagation material comprises the one or more non-natural mutations that causes an absence or loss of function of SEQ ID NO: 2, and wherein the seed, fruit, plant part, or propagation material exhibits resistance to powdery mildew.

3. A method for obtaining a cucumber plant that is resistant to powdery mildew, comprising introducing an impairment comprising one or more non-natural mutations to a nucleotide sequence having a sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in a cucumber plant that is susceptible to powdery mildew, wherein the impairment causes an absence or loss of function of SEQ ID NO: 2.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more non-natural mutations cause the absence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more non-natural mutations cause a non-functioning SEQ ID NO: 2.

6. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 1, wherein the impairment causes a substitution of at least one amino acid at positions 61-63 of SEQ ID NO: 2.

7. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 6, wherein the substitution of at least one amino acid at positions 61-63 of SEQ ID NO: 2 is a substitution that results in replacement of glutamic acid-leucine-methionine with alanine-threonine-isoleucine.

8. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 1, wherein the impairment causes lengthening of an N-terminal region of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the lengthening comprises amino acids 2-16 of SEQ ID NO: 31 (LFYNANFVQKSRLFQ).

9. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 1, wherein the impairment causes an amino acid substitution at position 284 of SEQ ID NO: 2.

10. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 9, wherein the amino acid substitution at position 284 of SEQ ID NO: 2 is a substitution of asparagine for aspartic acid.

11. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 1, wherein the impairment is a deletion in a coding region of a nucleic acid sequence having the sequence SEQ ID NO: 1.

12. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 11, wherein the deletion is in exon 11.

13. The isolated cucumber plant according to claim 11, wherein the deletion is of at least 72 base pairs.

14. A plant produced by the method according to claim 3, wherein the plant comprises the one or more non-natural mutations of SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the plant exhibits resistance to powdery mildew.

15. A seed, fruit, plant part, or propagation material of the cucumber plant produced according to the method of claim 3, wherein the seed, fruit, plant part, or propagation material comprises the one or more non-natural mutations of SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the seed, fruit, plant part, or propagation material exhibits resistance to powdery mildew.