Genome wide identification and characterization of light-harvesting Chloro a/b binding (LHC) genes reveals their potential role in enhancing drought tolerance in Gossypium hirsutum

Teame Gereziher Mehari,Teame Gereziher Mehari,Teame Gereziher Mehari,Yanchao Xu,Yanchao Xu,Kunbo Wang,Kunbo Wang,Yuhong Wang,Yuhong Wang,Muhammad Jawad Umer,Muhammad Jawad Umer,Shuxun Yu,Joy Nyangasi Kirungu,Joy Nyangasi Kirungu,Yuqing Hou,Yuqing Hou,Fang Liu,Fang Liu,Fang Liu,Zhongli Zhou,Richard Odongo Magwanga,Richard Odongo Magwanga,Richard Odongo Magwanga,Xiaoyan Cai,Xiaoyan Cai

doi:10.1186/s42397-021-00090-8

Abstract

BackgroundCotton is an important commercial crop for being a valuable source of natural fiber. Its production has undergone a sharp decline because of abiotic stresses, etc. Drought is one of the major abiotic stress causing significant yield losses in cotton. However, plants have evolved self-defense mechanisms to cope abiotic factors like drought, salt, cold, etc. The evolution of stress responsive transcription factors such as the trihelix, a nodule-inception-like protein (NLP), and the late embryogenesis abundant proteins have shown positive response in the resistance improvement to several abiotic stresses.ResultsGenome wide identification and characterization of the effects of Light-Harvesting Chloro a/b binding (LHC) genes were carried out in cotton under drought stress conditions. A hundred and nine proteins encoded by the LHC genes were found in the cotton genome, with 55, 27, and 27 genes found to be distributed in Gossypium hirsutum, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii, respectively. The proteins encoded by the genes were unevenly distributed on various chromosomes. The Ka/Ks (Non-synonymous substitution rate/Synonymous substitution rate) values were less than one, an indication of negative selection of the gene family. Differential expressions of genes showed that majority of the genes are being highly upregulated in the roots as compared with leaves and stem tissues. Most genes were found to be highly expressed in MR-85, a relative drought tolerant germplasm.ConclusionThe results provide proofs of the possible role of the LHC genes in improving drought stress tolerance, and can be explored by cotton breeders in releasing a more drought tolerant cotton varieties.

Highlights

Cotton is an important commercial crop for being a valuable source of natural fiber
Identification of the cotton light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding (LHC) proteins One hundred and nine proteins translated by the LHC genes were recognized in the three sequenced cotton genomes, with 55, 27, and 27 proteins in G. hirsutum (AD), G. raimondii (D) and G. arboreum (A), respectively (Table S2)
The total number of the proteins found related to the LHC genes in the two diploid cotton species, G. raimondii and G. arboreum, were one less than the number of LHC proteins in G. hirsutum, may be due to AD emerged in the whole genome duplications between A and D genomes

Summary

Introduction

Cotton is an important commercial crop for being a valuable source of natural fiber. Its production has undergone a sharp decline because of abiotic stresses, etc. Drought is one of the major abiotic stress causing significant yield losses in cotton. Cotton and its by-products are in higher demand than ever before, due to the increased use of this fiber in the textile industry and the use of cottonseed as a source of edible oil (Hassan et al 2020). It is an important multiuse crop, which is highly sensitive to both biotic and abiotic stresses (Zahid et al 2016). Its production has undergone a sharp decline because of abiotic stress influences, of significance is drought. A decrease in photosynthesis rate results in a remarkable reduction of yield in crops (Nouri et al 2015)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion