Molecular cloning and expression analysis of GhLOF genes in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Shoot branching, i.e., the timing and position of shoot growth, determines to a large extend the pattern of plant architecture, and is the result of the integration of a plant's genetic background and environmental cues. Many genes that are involved in the formation and outgrowth of axillary buds have been cloned, but the exact mechanism is still unclear. Branching pattern is an important agronomic trait in many crops, including cotton. In the present study, we cloned four genes from cotton, and designated them as GhLOF1/2/3/4. Sequence analysis revealed that all four genes shared conserved protein domains with LATERAL ORGAN FUSION (LOF) from Arabidopsis and TRIFOLIATE (Tf) from tomato. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that GhLOF3 and GhLOF4 were close to Tf because of their similar expression patterns, whereas GhLOF1 and GhLOF2 were differentially expressed.

To Be a Flower or Fruiting Branch: Insights Revealed by mRNA and Small RNA Transcriptomes from Different Cotton Developmental Stages

“…In recent years, the molecular mechanisms involving plant architecture, including floral transition, branching, shoot apical meristem development, and branch angle formation, have been extensively studied in rice etc., including the central roles of Branched1 (BRC1) in strigolactones, branching and Tiller Angle Control 1 (TAC1) in plant architecture 12 13 14 15 16 . Previous studies have mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of cotton architectural traits using molecular markers, including fruit branch internode length and fruit branch angle 8 9 17 18 19 . The molecular mechanisms involved in the development of cotton architecture traits have been rarely reported.…”

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of five GhRAXs in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

“…Preparation of plant material has been previously described (Dai and Wang, 2015). Briefly, cotton seeds were germinated, transplanted into soil, and grown in the greenhouse at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.…”

“…PCR parameters were as follows: 35 cycles of 95ºC for 30 s, 55ºC for 30 s, and 72ºC for 1 min. Product examination, purification, and ligation into the pMD18-T vector were conducted as previously described (Dai and Wang, 2015).…”

“…LOF1, LOF2 (A. thaliana), and Tf (tomato) were also orthologous MYB-like transcription factor genes whose mutants also showed axillary meristem defects. Moreover, of these four orthologous genes in cotton were cloned in our laboratory and designated GhLOF1/2/3/4 (Dai and Wang, 2015 To analyze the phylogenetic relationships of these MYB-like transcription factor genes, phylogenetic trees were constructed using GhLOFs, GhRAXs, two RAX/BLIND orthologs from G. hirsutum L. deposited in NCBI (GhBlind1 and GhBlind2), RAXs from A. thaliana, BLIND from tomato, and CaBLIND from pepper. The results showed that RAX/BLIND orthologs and LOF orthologs in G. hirsutum L. were separated into different subgroups, suggesting functional divergence (Figure 2A).…”