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Akhtar S, Shahid AA, Shakoor S, Ahmed M, Iftikhar S, Usmaan M, Sadaqat S, Latif A, Iqbal A, Rao AQ. Tissue specific expression of bacterial cellulose synthase (Bcs) genes improves cotton fiber length and strength. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 328:111576. [PMID: 36565935 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Fiber growing inside the cotton bolls is a highly demandable product and its quality is key to the success of the textile industry. Despite the various efforts to improve cotton fiber staple length Pakistan has to import millions of bales to sustain its industrial needs. To improve cotton fiber quality Bacterial cellulose synthase (Bcs) genes (acsA, acsB) were expressed in a local cotton variety CEMB-00. In silico studies revealed a number of conserved domains both in the cotton-derived and bacterial cellulose synthases which are essential for the cellulose synthesis. Transformation efficiency of 1.27% was achieved by using Agrobacterium shoot apex cut method of transformation. The quantitative mRNA expression analysis of the Bcs genes in transgenic cotton fiber was found to be many folds higher during secondary cell wall synthesis stage (35 DPA) than the expression during elongation phase (10 DPA). Average fiber length of the transgenic cotton plant lines S-00-07, S-00-11, S-00-16 and S-00-23 was calculated to be 13.02% higher than that of the non-transgenic control plants. Likewise, the average fiber strength was found to be 20.92% higher with an enhanced cellulose content of 22.45%. The mutated indigenous cellulose synthase genes of cotton generated through application of CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in 6.03% and 12.10% decrease in fiber length and strength respectively. Furthermore, mature cotton fibers of transgenic cotton plants were found to have increased number of twists with smooth surface as compared to non-transgenic control when analyzed under scanning electron microscope. XRD analysis of cotton fibers revealed less cellulose crystallinity index in transgenic cotton fibers as compared to control fibers due to deposition of more amorphous cellulose in transgenic fibers as a result of Bcs gene expression. This study paved the way towards unraveling the fact that Bcs genes influence cellulose synthase activity and this enzyme helps in determining the fate of cotton fiber length and strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidra Akhtar
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ahmad Ali Shahid
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sana Shakoor
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mukhtar Ahmed
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan; Government Boys College Sokasan Bhimber, Higher Education Department (HED), Azad Jaumm and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Sehrish Iftikhar
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Usmaan
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sahar Sadaqat
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Latif
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Adnan Iqbal
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan; Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute-National Research Institute, Radzikow, 05-870 Blonie, Poland
| | - Abdul Qayyum Rao
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
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de Moura SM, Freitas EO, Ribeiro TP, Paes-de-Melo B, Arraes FBM, Macedo LLP, Paixão JFR, Lourenço-Tessutti IT, Artico S, da Cunha Valença D, Silva MCM, de Oliveira AC, Alves-Ferreira M, Grossi-de-Sa MF. Discovery and functional characterization of novel cotton promoters with potential application to pest control. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2022; 41:1589-1601. [PMID: 35665839 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-022-02880-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
pGhERF105 and pGhNc-HARBI1 promoters are highly responsive to CBW infestation and exhibit strong activity in vegetative and reproductive tissues, increasing their potential application in GM crop plants for pest control. The main challenge to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) crop productivity is the constant attack of several pests, including the cotton boll weevil (CBW, Anthonomus grandis), which uses cotton floral buds for feeding and egg-laying. The endophytic nature of the early developmental stages of CBW makes conventional pesticide-based control poorly efficient. Most biotechnological assets used for pest control are based on Bacillus thurigiensis insecticidal Cry toxins or the silencing of insect-pest essential genes using RNA-interference technology. However, suitable plant promoter sequences are required to efficiently drive insecticidal molecules to the target plant tissue. This study selected the Ethylene Responsive Factor 105 (GhERF105) and Harbinger transposase-derived nuclease (GhNc-HARBI1) genes based on available transcriptome-wide data from cotton plants infested by CBW larvae. The GhERF105 and GhNc-HARBI1 genes showed induction kinetics from 2 to 96 h under CBW's infestation in cotton floral buds, uncovering the potential application of their promoters. Therefore, the promoter regions (1,500 base pairs) were assessed and characterized using Arabidopsis thaliana transgenic plants. The pGhERF105 and pGhNc-HARBI1 promoters showed strong activity in plant vegetative (leaves and roots) and reproductive (flowers and fruits) tissues, encompassing higher GUS transcriptional activity than the viral-constitutive Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S promoter (pCaMV35S). Notably, pGhERF105 and pGhNc-HARBI1 promoters demonstrated more efficiency in driving reporter genes in flowers than other previously characterized cotton flower-specific promoters. Overall, the present study provides a new set of cotton promoters suitable for biotechnological application in cotton plants for pest resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéfanie Menezes de Moura
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Elinea Oliveira Freitas
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- Federal University of Brasilia (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Thuanne Pires Ribeiro
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Federal University of Brasilia (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Bruno Paes-de-Melo
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Fabrício B M Arraes
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Lima Pepino Macedo
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Joaquin F R Paixão
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Isabela T Lourenço-Tessutti
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Sinara Artico
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - David da Cunha Valença
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Maria Cristina Mattar Silva
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Antonio C de Oliveira
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL), Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Marcio Alves-Ferreira
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria Fatima Grossi-de-Sa
- Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, PqEB, Final W5 North, PO Box 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil.
- National Institute of Science and Technology, INCT PlantStress Biotech, EMBRAPA, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
- Catholic University of Brasília (UCB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
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Razzaq A, Zafar MM, Li P, Qun G, Deng X, Ali A, Hafeez A, Irfan M, Liu A, Ren M, Shang H, Shi Y, Gong W, Yuan Y. Transformation and Overexpression of Primary Cell Wall Synthesis-Related Zinc Finger Gene Gh_A07G1537 to Improve Fiber Length in Cotton. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:777794. [PMID: 34804108 PMCID: PMC8604042 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.777794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Molecular interventions have helped to explore the genes involved in fiber length, fiber strength, and other quality parameters with improved characteristics, particularly in cotton. The current study is an extension and functional validation of previous findings that Gh_A07G1537 influences fiber length in cotton using a chromosomal segment substitution line MBI7747 through RNA-seq data. The recombinant Gh_A07G1537 derived from the MBI7747 line was over-expressed in CCRI24, a genotype with a low profile of fiber quality parameters. Putative transformants were selected on MS medium containing hygromycin (25mg/ml), acclimatized, and shifted to a greenhouse for further growth and proliferation. Transgene integration was validated through PCR and Southern Blot analysis. Stable integration of the transgene (ΔGh_A07G1537) was validated by tracking its expression in different generations (T0, T1, and T2) of transformed cotton plants. It was found to be 2.97-, 2.86-, and 2.92-folds higher expression in T0, T1, and T2 plants, respectively, of transgenic compared with non-transgenic cotton plants. Fiber quality parameters were also observed to be improved in the engineered cotton line. Genetic modifications of Gh_A07G1537 support the improvement in fiber quality parameters and should be appreciated for the textile industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Razzaq
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Mubashar Zafar
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Pengtao Li
- School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, China
| | - Ge Qun
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Xiaoying Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Arfan Ali
- FB Genetics, Four Brothers Group, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Hafeez
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Muhammad Irfan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Forman Christian College, A Chartered University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Aiying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Maozhi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Haihong Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuzhen Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Wankui Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
| | - Youlu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Key Laboratory of Biological and Genetic Breeding of Cotton, The Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang, China
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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