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Background: The function of 4-coumarate-CoA ligases (4CL) under abiotic stresses has been studied in plants, however, limited is known about the 4CL genes in cotton (G. hirsutum L.) and their roles in response to drought stress.
Results: We performed genome-wide identification of the 4CL genes in G. hirsutum and investigated the expression profiles of the identified genes in various cotton tissues and in response to stress conditions with an aim to identify 4CL gene(s) associated with drought tolerance. We identified 34 putative 4CL genes in G. hirsutum that were clustered into three classes. Genes of the same class usually share a similar gene structure and motif composition. Many cis-elements related to stress and phytohormone responses were found in the promoters of the Gh4CL genes. Of the 34 Gh4CL genes, 26 were induced by at least one abiotic stress and 10 (including Gh4CL7) were up-regulated under the polyethylene glycol (PEG) simulated drought stress conditions. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in cotton and overexpression (OE) in Arabidopsis thaliana were applied to investigate the biological function of Gh4CL7 in drought tolerance. The Gh4CL7-silencing cotton plants showed more sensitive to drought stress, probably due to decreased relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content and antioxidative enzyme activity, increased stomatal aperture, and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Arabidopsis lines overexpressing Gh4CL7, however, were more tolerant to drought treatment, which was associated with improved antioxidative enzyme activity, reduced accumulation of MDA and H2O2 and up-regulated stress-related genes under the drought stress conditions. In addition, compared to their respective controls, the Gh4CL7-silencing cotton plants and the Gh4CL7-overexpressing Arabidopsis lines had a ~20% reduction and a ~10% increase in lignin content, respectively. The expression levels of genes related to lignin biosynthesis, including PAL, CCoAOMT, COMT, CCR and CAD, were lower in Gh4CL7-silencing plants than in controls. Taken together, these results demonstrated that Gh4CL7 could positively respond to drought stress and therefore might be a candidate gene for improvement of drought tolerance in cotton.
Conclusion: We characterized the 4CL gene family in upland cotton and revealed a role of Gh4CL7 in lignin biosynthesis and drought tolerance.
Keywords
Gossypium hirsutum, 4CL, Transgenic Arabidopsis, Drought stress, VIGS
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Plant Biology.
Version 3
Posted 03 Mar, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 04 Mar, 2020
Editor assigned
On 02 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Mar, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 27 Feb, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 03 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 03 Feb, 2020
Review #4 received
Received 03 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 31 Jan, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 28 Jan, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 22 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 13 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Jan, 2020
Editor assigned
On 09 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 08 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 08 Jan, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 16 Dec, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 10 Dec, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 10 Dec, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 28 Nov, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 26 Nov, 2019
Editor invited
On 18 Nov, 2019
Editor assigned
On 04 Nov, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 03 Nov, 2019
First submitted
On 31 Oct, 2019
Metrics
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PDF Downloads: ...
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Subject Areas
Plant Molecular Biology and Genetics
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A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
See the published version of this preprint at BMC Plant Biology.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Plant Biology.
Version 3
Posted 03 Mar, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 04 Mar, 2020
Editor assigned
On 02 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Mar, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 27 Feb, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 03 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 03 Feb, 2020
Review #4 received
Received 03 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 31 Jan, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 28 Jan, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 22 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 13 Jan, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Jan, 2020
Editor assigned
On 09 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 08 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 08 Jan, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 16 Dec, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 10 Dec, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 10 Dec, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 28 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 28 Nov, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 26 Nov, 2019
Editor invited
On 18 Nov, 2019
Editor assigned
On 04 Nov, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 03 Nov, 2019
First submitted
On 31 Oct, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Plant Molecular Biology and Genetics
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Plant Biology.
Background: The function of 4-coumarate-CoA ligases (4CL) under abiotic stresses has been studied in plants, however, limited is known about the 4CL genes in cotton (G. hirsutum L.) and their roles in response to drought stress.
Results: We performed genome-wide identification of the 4CL genes in G. hirsutum and investigated the expression profiles of the identified genes in various cotton tissues and in response to stress conditions with an aim to identify 4CL gene(s) associated with drought tolerance. We identified 34 putative 4CL genes in G. hirsutum that were clustered into three classes. Genes of the same class usually share a similar gene structure and motif composition. Many cis-elements related to stress and phytohormone responses were found in the promoters of the Gh4CL genes. Of the 34 Gh4CL genes, 26 were induced by at least one abiotic stress and 10 (including Gh4CL7) were up-regulated under the polyethylene glycol (PEG) simulated drought stress conditions. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in cotton and overexpression (OE) in Arabidopsis thaliana were applied to investigate the biological function of Gh4CL7 in drought tolerance. The Gh4CL7-silencing cotton plants showed more sensitive to drought stress, probably due to decreased relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content and antioxidative enzyme activity, increased stomatal aperture, and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Arabidopsis lines overexpressing Gh4CL7, however, were more tolerant to drought treatment, which was associated with improved antioxidative enzyme activity, reduced accumulation of MDA and H2O2 and up-regulated stress-related genes under the drought stress conditions. In addition, compared to their respective controls, the Gh4CL7-silencing cotton plants and the Gh4CL7-overexpressing Arabidopsis lines had a ~20% reduction and a ~10% increase in lignin content, respectively. The expression levels of genes related to lignin biosynthesis, including PAL, CCoAOMT, COMT, CCR and CAD, were lower in Gh4CL7-silencing plants than in controls. Taken together, these results demonstrated that Gh4CL7 could positively respond to drought stress and therefore might be a candidate gene for improvement of drought tolerance in cotton.
Conclusion: We characterized the 4CL gene family in upland cotton and revealed a role of Gh4CL7 in lignin biosynthesis and drought tolerance.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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