Retrospectives and perspectives on cotton functionalgenomics studies at Wuhan University

Abstract

<p indent="0mm">Cotton is the most important natural fiber crop in the world. It is also an ideal model plant for studying genome evolution, cell elongation, and cell wall formation. In 2012, Dr. Zhu Yuxian, a cotton scientist from Wuhan University, together with other leading Chinese cotton researchers including Shuxun Yu, Kunbo Wang, and Fuguang Li, assembled the world’s first <italic>Gossypium raimondii</italic> (D₅) draft genome. This initiated successfully a big wave for global cotton genomics and functional genomics research. In the following years, his team continues to work on the cotton genomics area by further assembling or upgrading 3 more other cotton species, including the diploid Asian cotton (<italic>G</italic>. <italic>arboreum</italic>, A₂), grass cotton (<italic>G</italic>. <italic>herbaceum</italic>, A₁), and the tetraploid upland cotton (<italic>G</italic>. <italic>hirsutum</italic>, AD₁). Based on this foundation, the team has achieved remarkable results regarding mechanisms of cotton genome evolution, transcriptome analysis, and gene expression, as well as regulations of cotton fiber cell development, all of which have promoted the rapid development of cotton biology worldwide. At present, Wuhan University’s cotton team has established itself as an important force in international cotton research. Here, we review important progress from our lab over the past about <sc>10 years</sc> and shed some light on future prospects for cotton sciences.