Global identification of genes associated with xylan biosynthesis in cotton fiber

Feng Chen,Yanjun Guo,Xinli Gan,Juan Li,Min Liu,Wenliang Xu,Li Chen

doi:10.1186/s42397-020-00063-3

Feng Chen, Yanjun Guo + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s42397-020-00063-3

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Abstract

BackgroundMature cotton fiber secondary cell wall comprises largely of cellulose (> 90%) and small amounts of xylan and lignin. Little is known about the cotton fiber xylan biosynthesis by far.ResultsTo comprehensively survey xylan biosynthetic genes in cotton fiber, we identified five IRX9, five IRX10, one IRX14, six IRX15, two FRA8, one PARVUS, eight GUX, four GXM, two RWA, two AXY9, 13 TBL genes by using phylogenetic analysis coupled with expression profile analysis and co-expression analyses. In addition, we also identified two GT61 members, two GT47 members, and two DUF579 family members whose homologs in Arabidopsis were not functionally characterized. These 55 genes were regarded as the most probable genes to be involved in fiber xylan biosynthesis. Further complementation analysis indicated that one IRX10 like and two FRA8 related genes were able to partially recover the irregular xylem phenotype conferred by the xylan deficiency in their respective Arabidopsis mutant. We conclude that these genes are functional orthologs of respective genes that are implicated in GX biosynthesis.ConclusionThe list of 55 cotton genes presented here provides not only a solid basis to uncover the biosynthesis of xylan in cotton fiber, but also a genetic resource potentially useful for future studies aiming at fiber improvement via biotechnological approaches.

Highlights

Mature cotton fiber secondary cell wall comprises largely of cellulose (> 90%) and small amounts of xylan and lignin
Identification of genes involved in fiber xylan backbone and reducing end sequence (RES) synthesis In Arabidopsis, members of glycosyltransferase family 43 (GT43) and GT47 are responsible for synthesis of the xylan backbone: IRX9 and IRX14 from GT43 and IRX10 from GT47 (Brown et al 2007)
Co-expression analysis revealed that the five 20 days post-anthesis (DPA) fiber or preferentially expressed genes were co-expressed with SCWassociated genes (Additional file 9: Table S1)

Summary

Introduction

Mature cotton fiber secondary cell wall comprises largely of cellulose (> 90%) and small amounts of xylan and lignin. Little is known about the cotton fiber xylan biosynthesis by far. Mature cotton fiber secondary cell wall (SCW) is composed mainly of cellulose (> 90%) and small amounts of noncellulosic polymers, such as xylan and lignin (Haigler et al 2012; Han et al 2013). A number of genes involved in fiber secondary cell wall cellulose and lignin synthesis have been identified (Fan et al 2009; Han et al 2013; Li et al 2013). Glycome profiling and immunohistochemistry techniques have exhibited the presence of xylans in 10 to 24 DPA cotton fibers in both G. barbadense and G. hirsutum (Avci et al 2013). Our knowledge of xylan biosynthesis in cotton fiber remains limited. The function of xylan in fiber development is barely understood

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