Overexpression of GhMPK3 from Cotton Enhances Cold, Drought, and Salt Stress in Arabidopsis

Abstract

Cotton production is hampered by a variety of abiotic stresses that wreak havoc on the growth and development of plants, resulting in significant financial losses. According to reports, cotton production areas have declined around the world as a result of the ongoing stress. Therefore, plant breeding programs are concentrating on abiotic stress-tolerant cotton varieties. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are involved in plant growth, stress responses, and the hormonal signaling pathway. In this research, three abiotic stresses (cold, drought, and salt) were analyzed on GhMPK3 transformed Arabidopsis plants. The transgenic plant’s gene expression and morphologic analysis were studied under cold, drought, and salt stress. Physiological parameters such as relative leaf water content, excised leaf water loss, chlorophyll content, and ion leakage showed that overexpressed plants possess more stable content under stress conditions compared with the WT plants. Furthermore, GhMPK3 overexpressed plants had greater antioxidant activities and weaker oxidant activities. Silencing GhMPK3 in cotton inhibited its tolerance to drought stress. Our research findings strongly suggest that GhMPK3 can be regarded as an essential gene for abiotic stress tolerance in cotton plants.

GhGLK1 a Key Candidate Gene From GARP Family Enhances Cold and Drought Stress Tolerance in Cotton

“…Under drought circumstances, the concentrations of oxidant (MDA and H 2 O 2 ) and antioxidant (CAT and POD) enzymes in GhMPK3 silenced, and WT plants were determined. The investigation revealed that antioxidant concentrations were much lower in the silenced plants, whereas oxidant levels increased dramatically when compared with the control plants ( Yang et al, 2019 ; Kirungu et al, 2020 ; Sadau et al, 2021 ). Moreover, GLKs confer biological stress resistance in crops.…”

“…This indicates that the overexpressed gene has the potential to regulate abiotic stress tolerance. A report in stress-responsive genes investigated in transgenic lines of GhMPK3 showed upregulated expression compared with the WT ( Sadau et al, 2021 ). Therefore, current results propose that the GhGLK1 might be involved in regulating the genes that play a key role in drought and cold stress tolerance in cotton.…”

Multi-Omics-Based Identification and Functional Characterization of Gh_A06G1257 Proves Its Potential Role in Drought Stress Tolerance in Gossypium hirsutum

“…Under mannitol treatment, Gh_A06G1257 plants have higher antioxidants activities including CAT and Peroxidase (POD) whereas, lower activities of oxidant enzymes (MDA and H 2 O 2 ) than wild-type (WT) plants. Under stress treatment, GhMPK3 overexpressed plants were shown to have higher levels of antioxidants and lower contents of oxidant enzymes than WT plants (Sadau et al, 2021 ).…”

“…The seedlings were moved to a growing environment with a temperature of 25°C and a 16 light/8 dark hours cycle from the selection medium at three-leaf stages. The little plastic pots were filled with a 1:1 mix of vermiculite and humus (Sadau et al, 2021 ).…”

Regulatory Network of Cotton Genes in Response to Salt, Drought and Wilt Diseases (Verticillium and Fusarium): Progress and Perspective

“…Recently, GhMPK3 was identified and characterized from upland cotton. Silencing GhMPK3 increased drought tolerance in cotton plants, whereas overexpression improved plant resistance to drought, cold, and salt stress ( Sadau et al, 2021 ). These findings help in better understanding of the regulatory network of MAPKs under salt and drought stresses, and offer another strategy for improving stress tolerance in cotton crop production.…”