Cotton roots are the major source of gossypol biosynthesis and accumulation

Tianlun Zhao,John Z. Yu,Cheng Li,Qianwen Xie,Lei Mei,Cong Li,Shuijin Zhu,Jinhong Chen

doi:10.1186/s12870-020-2294-9

Tianlun Zhao, John Z. Yu + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-020-2294-9

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundGossypol is a specific secondary metabolite in Gossypium species. It not only plays a critical role in development and self-protection of cotton plants, but also can be used as important anti-cancer and male contraceptive compound. However, due to the toxicity of gossypol for human beings and monogastric animals, the consumption of cottonseeds was limited. To date, little is known about the gossypol metabolism in cotton plants.ResultsIn this study, we found that cotyledon was the primary source of gossypol at the seed germination stage. But thereafter, it was mainly originated from developing roots. Grafting between glanded and glandless cotton as well as sunflower rootstocks and cotton scion revealed that gossypol was mainly synthesized in the root systems of cotton plants. And both glanded and glandless cotton roots had the ability of gossypol biosynthesis. But the pigment glands, the main storage of gossypol, had indirect effects on gossypol biosynthesis. In vitro culture of root and rootless seedling confirmed the strong gossypol biosynthesis ability in root system and the relatively weak gossypol biosynthesis ability in other organs of the seedling. Expression profiling of the key genes involved in the gossypol biosynthetic pathway also supported the root as the major organ of gossypol biosynthesis.ConclusionsOur study provide evidence that the cotton root system is the major source of gossypol in both glanded and glandless cottons, while other organs have a relatively weak ability to synthesize gossypol. Gossypol biosynthesis is not directed related to the expression of pigment glands, but the presence of pigment glands is essential for gossypol accumulation. These findings can not only clarify the complex regulation network of gossypol metabolism, but it could also accelerate the crop breeding process with enhanced commercial values.

Highlights

Gossypol is a specific secondary metabolite in Gossypium species
Gossypol change in organs of glanded and glandless cotton seedlings Two pairs of near isogenic lines (NILs), CCRI17 vs CCRI17W and Coker 312 vs Coker 312 W, were planted in greenhouse
The gossypol content in the seedlings with regenerated roots was about twice the amount of that in non-regenerated roots (Fig. 5c and d). These results indicated that the cotton roots were the primary place of gossypol biosynthesis, but other organs might have relatively weak ability to produce gossypol

Summary

Introduction

Gossypol is a specific secondary metabolite in Gossypium species It plays a critical role in development and self-protection of cotton plants, and can be used as important anti-cancer and male contraceptive compound. Due to the toxicity of gossypol for human beings and monogastric animals, the consumption of cottonseeds was limited. Gossypol plays an important role in self-protection of cotton plants [4,5,6]. Gossypol was first characterized by Adams et al in 1938 through a series of classic studies [7]. It is a polyphenolic aldehyde which constitutes 20–40% of the pigment glands weight and accounts for 0.4–1.7% of the whole cottonseed kernel. The difference in ratio of enantiomers in cottonseeds might affect the poultry production when they were used as poultry feed [25]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion