Lingling Dou1, Zhifang Li2, Qian Shen3, Huiran Shi4, Huaizhu Li1, Wenbo Wang1, Changsong Zou2, Haihong Shang5, Hongbin Li6, Guanghui Xiao7. 1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xianyang Normal University, Xianyang, 712000, Shaanxi, China. 2. State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, 85 Minglun Street, Kaifeng, 475001, Henan, China. 3. State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China. 4. College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China. 5. Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China. 6. College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Phytomedicine Resource and Utilization of Ministry of Education, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832003, China. 7. College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China. guanghuix@snnu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Wall-associated kinases (WAK), one of the receptor-like kinases (RLK), function directly in the connection and communication between the plant cell wall and the cytoplasm. WAK genes are highly conserved and have been identified in plants, such as rice, but there is little research on the WAK gene family in cotton. RESULTS: In the present study, we identified 29 GhWAK genes in Gossypium hirsutum. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cotton WAK proteins can be divided into five clades. The results of synteny and Ka/Ks analysis showed that the GhWAK genes mainly originated from whole genome duplication (WGD) and were then mainly under purifying selection. Transcriptome data and real-time PCR showed that 97% of GhWAK genes highly expressed in cotton fibers and ovules. β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining assays showed that GhWAK5 and GhWAK16 expressed in Arabidopsis leaf trichomes. Fourteen GhWAK genes were found to possess putative gibberellin (GA) response elements in the promoter regions, 13 of which were significantly induced by GA treatment. Ten GhWAK genes contained auxin (IAA) response elements and the expression level of nine GhWAKs significantly increased under auxin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a preliminary analysis of the WAK gene family in G. hirsutum, which sheds light on the potantial roles of GhWAK genes in cotton fiber cell development. Our data also provides a useful resource for future studies on the functional roles of GhWAK genes.
BACKGROUND: Wall-associated kinases (WAK), one of the receptor-like kinases (RLK), function directly in the connection and communication between the plant cell wall and the cytoplasm. WAK genes are highly conserved and have been identified in plants, such as rice, but there is little research on the WAK gene family in cotton. RESULTS: In the present study, we identified 29 GhWAK genes in Gossypium hirsutum. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cotton WAK proteins can be divided into five clades. The results of synteny and Ka/Ks analysis showed that the GhWAK genes mainly originated from whole genome duplication (WGD) and were then mainly under purifying selection. Transcriptome data and real-time PCR showed that 97% of GhWAK genes highly expressed in cotton fibers and ovules. β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining assays showed that GhWAK5 and GhWAK16 expressed in Arabidopsis leaf trichomes. Fourteen GhWAK genes were found to possess putative gibberellin (GA) response elements in the promoter regions, 13 of which were significantly induced by GA treatment. Ten GhWAK genes contained auxin (IAA) response elements and the expression level of nine GhWAKs significantly increased under auxin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a preliminary analysis of the WAK gene family in G. hirsutum, which sheds light on the potantial roles of GhWAK genes in cotton fiber cell development. Our data also provides a useful resource for future studies on the functional roles of GhWAK genes.
Authors: Martin Krzywinski; Jacqueline Schein; Inanç Birol; Joseph Connors; Randy Gascoyne; Doug Horsman; Steven J Jones; Marco A Marra Journal: Genome Res Date: 2009-06-18 Impact factor: 9.043