Expression Analysis of Fiber Related Genes in Different Staple Length Genotypes in Cotton (G. Hirsutum L.)

Abstract

Cotton fibers, derived from the outer layer of seeds, are widely used in the textile industry for fabric production worldwide. Expression profiling techniques are valuable for identifying tissue (stem and roots) and stage-specific gene expression in cotton fibers. Expression analysis is a popular and successful technique for studying gene expression levels during tissue and stage-specific fiber development. In this study, expression profiling was conducted using realtime PCR on three different staple length genotypes of cotton (G. hirsutum L.): long, medium, and short staple length. The analysis was performed at five different stages of fiber elongation (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 DPA). Three fiber development genes (PEPc, XTH and GA-20 Oxidase) were examined from the initiation phase (5 DPA) to the termination phase (20 DPA) of cotton fibers. Two internal control genes (ubiquitin and 18sr RNA) were used for data normalization. The primary focus of the study was to investigate the transcript levels of genes related to long staple length at different stages of cotton fiber development. All three genes showed similar expression levels during the elongation phase (15 DPA) of fiber development, but PEPc exhibited higher expression at 15 DPA in all three lines. The main objective of this expression profiling study was to identify and select genes associated with long staple length in cotton genotypes. The selected novel genes with high transcript levels could extend the elongation phase of cotton fiber morphogenesis, leading to improved long fiber characteristics. As a result of expression analysis studies using RT-PCR, cotton with high staple length genotypes has been commercially cultivated and utilized in the textile industry, reducing the need for imported long staple length cotton in local textile production.

Abiotic Stress in Plants: Sustainability and Productivity

“…However, the simultaneous incident of drought and heat stress in cotton production makes it difficult to differentiate their respective impacts (Zafar et al, 2022c). Stomata, which govern the exchange of CO 2 and water, along with the photosynthetic activity in the mesophyll, serve as the main factor influencing plant production through the regulation of photosynthesis (Nadeem et al, 2023;Nie et al, 2023). Stomatal conductance is directly affected by drought and HT stresses, leading to alterations in photosynthetic metabolism Gong et al, 2023).…”

Drought and heat stress on cotton genotypes suggested agro-physiological and biochemical features for climate resilience

“…However, the simultaneous incident of drought and heat stress in cotton production makes it difficult to differentiate their respective impacts (Zafar et al, 2022c). Stomata, which govern the exchange of CO 2 and water, along with the photosynthetic activity in the mesophyll, serve as the main factor influencing plant production through the regulation of photosynthesis (Nadeem et al, 2023;Nie et al, 2023). Stomatal conductance is directly affected by drought and HT stresses, leading to alterations in photosynthetic metabolism (Li et al, 2022;Gong et al, 2023).…”