Genome-Wide Identification of the B-Box Gene Family and Expression Analysis Suggests Their Potential Role in Photoperiod-Mediated β-Carotene Accumulation in the Endocarp of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Fruit
, Chunyan Cheng 1,†, Ying Li 2, Zhen Tian 1, Martin Kagiki Njogu 3, Ji Li 1, Qunfeng Lou 1, Xiaqing Yu 1, Zhengan Yang 4, Joshua Otieno Ogweno 5 and Jinfeng Chen 1,*Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
In my opinion Authors present important research results of CsaBBX genes identified in cucumber. Authors studied their phylogenetic relationship, expression, gene organization and response to changes in light longevity. Study is generally well planned and performed. Conclusions are supported by research results. The description of Materials and Methods together with the results presentation should be improved. In my opinion after major corrections provided below article could be suitable for publication.
Citations should be in the [] bracket not in the ()- correct in the entire text. Some citation numbers are in bold- correct it in the entire text.
Line 195- add following information: method of RNA isolation, amount of RNA taken for preparaing cDNA libraries, volume and concentration of libraries.
Section 2.9
Concentration of RNA taken for experiment, how the quality of RNA was assessed?
Provide the name of reference gene- was the stability of reference gene expression tested ? Provide citation of previous use this reference gene.
Add details of PCR reaction. Also name and manufacturer of RT-PCR machin is necessary.
Provide name, sequences and accession numbers of reference gene primers- in Table S4 (additional Text File 1). Also the size of PCR products (tested and reference) could be presented in Table S4.
Authors may add the accession numbers to proteins in Text file S2.
Line 320. Additional Table 1- this file is named not Table S1, but the Additional file 1-correct the name. Maybe write in the text : Additional file 1: Table S1. The same mode for other Tables S2-S4 present in Additional file 1, for example instead Additional file 1 could be Additional file 1: Tables S1-S4. It will be easier to know what is inside.
Fig 4B- the nuance/shade of blue in figure 4B and in description Upstream/Downstream is different, correct it to be the same as on the figure.
Fig. S1- there is a problem with readability, the color nuances are partially too related, maybe instead of color shade/nuance Authors could just number these cis-active motifs for example by Roman numbers; I, II, II, IV etc. It could be much more clear to find them.
Additional File 2 could be named Additional File 2: Fig S1 it will be much more clear to localize it.
Table S4- units of beta carotene concentration should be presented for example µg/g dry weight or fresh weight. State it also clearly in HPLC method description.
Author Response
We are very grateful for taking your time to review our manuscript. Following your comments and suggestions, we have tried our level best to address the issues in order to improve the content of the manuscript. Please see the attachment for detailed responses. Thank you very much in advance for your support.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
Dear Author,
You can find my post review report attached. I have stated the suggestions and some minor corrections that I consider necessary there.
Kind Regards
Title
OK
Abstract
Line 21, B-Box …
Line 22 and 24, BBX,
Line 26, CsaBBXs……
……… All genes mentioned in the text should be written in italics. These should be corrected throughout the manuscript.
Line 31, “Arabidopsis” should be Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.
Keywords
In general, it should be more correct to avoid the use of the same terms used within the title. It would be appropriate to review the keywords and add the ones that are not included in the title. Just a suggestion, CsaBBXs genes, can be added.
Introduction
In all manuscripts, references are indicated with "(x)"
…In the text, reference numbers should be placed in square brackets [ ], and placed before the punctuation; for example [1], [1–3] or [1,3]. For embedded citations in the text with pagination, use both parentheses and brackets to indicate the reference number and page numbers; for example [5] (p. 10). or [6] (pp. 101–105)……
Line 71, “in vitro” …. should be written in italics…
Material Methods
Line 169, “(C. s Xishuangbannesis)” correct …. Cucumis sativus L. var. xishuangbannesis Qi et Yuan
Line 186, ….. all other environmental factors were the same …. (Brief information about these factors should be given. eg temperature etc.)
Line 202, subtitle… “2.8β-. carotene extraction and HPLC analysis”….. correct
2.8. β-carotene extraction and HPLC analysis
Line 203, …. the methods described by (39). ……….. sentence seems to be incomplete…
……described by Alagoz et al (39).
Line 205, “2 mL” …. “2 ml”
Line 208, “revolutions per minute” not necessary, rpm is enough
Line 218, “…….Sigma-Aldrich Co. Ltd, Shanghai, China).” Where do the parentheses start?
Results
OK
Discussion
Line 517, (Fig S2)???
Tables
For the same word in the table and in its legends, there is a use of lowercase letters in some places and capitalization in others. For example, Chlo – chlo; Cyto – cyto; Index – index …. A standard usage of them would be fine.
Figures
OK
References
OK
Author Response
We are very grateful for taking your time to review our manuscript. Following your comments and suggestions, we have tried our level best to address the issues in order to improve the content of the manuscript. Please see the attachment for detailed responses. Thank you very much in advance for your support.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
In my opinion Authors included all corrections, that were suggested in my review, now I have no comments to the manuscript and it could be published.
Author Response
We are very grateful for taking your time to review our manuscript. Following your recommendation for the publication of our manuscript, we owe you great gratitude for your support as we look forward to its further processing. Thank you very much.
