Zhengwen Liu1, Xingfen Wang1, Zhengwen Sun1, Yan Zhang1, Chengsheng Meng1, Bin Chen1, Guoning Wang1, Huifeng Ke1, Jinhua Wu1, Yuanyuan Yan1, Liqiang Wu1, Zhikun Li1, Jun Yang1, Guiyin Zhang2, Zhiying Ma3. 1. State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, North China Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources of Education Ministry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China. 2. State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, North China Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources of Education Ministry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China. mhyzh@hebau.edu.cn. 3. State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, North China Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Resources of Education Ministry, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China. mzhy@hebau.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dirigent (DIR) proteins mediate regioselectivity and stereoselectivity during lignan biosynthesis and are also involved in lignin, gossypol and pterocarpan biosynthesis. This gene family plays a vital role in enhancing stress resistance and in secondary cell-wall development, but systematical understanding is lacking in cotton. RESULTS: In this study, 107 GbDIRs and 107 GhDIRs were identified in Gossypium barbadense and Gossypium hirsutum, respectively. Most of these genes have a classical gene structure without intron and encode proteins containing a signal peptide. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cotton DIR genes were classified into four distinct subfamilies (a, b/d, e, and f). Of these groups, DIR-a and DIR-e were evolutionarily conserved, and segmental and tandem duplications contributed equally to their formation. In contrast, DIR-b/d mainly expanded by recent tandem duplications, accompanying with a number of gene clusters. With the rapid evolution, DIR-b/d-III was a Gossypium-specific clade involved in atropselective synthesis of gossypol. RNA-seq data highlighted GhDIRs in response to Verticillium dahliae infection and suggested that DIR gene family could confer Verticillium wilt resistance. We also identified candidate DIR genes related to fiber development in G. barbadense and G. hirsutum and revealed their differential expression. To further determine the involvement of DIR genes in fiber development, we overexpressed a fiber length-related gene GbDIR78 in Arabidopsis and validated its function in trichomes and hypocotyls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute novel insights towards the evolution of DIR gene family and provide valuable information for further understanding the roles of DIR genes in cotton fiber development as well as in stress responses.
BACKGROUND: Dirigent (DIR) proteins mediate regioselectivity and stereoselectivity during lignan biosynthesis and are also involved in lignin, gossypol and pterocarpan biosynthesis. This gene family plays a vital role in enhancing stress resistance and in secondary cell-wall development, but systematical understanding is lacking in cotton. RESULTS: In this study, 107 GbDIRs and 107 GhDIRs were identified in Gossypium barbadense and Gossypium hirsutum, respectively. Most of these genes have a classical gene structure without intron and encode proteins containing a signal peptide. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cotton DIR genes were classified into four distinct subfamilies (a, b/d, e, and f). Of these groups, DIR-a and DIR-e were evolutionarily conserved, and segmental and tandem duplications contributed equally to their formation. In contrast, DIR-b/d mainly expanded by recent tandem duplications, accompanying with a number of gene clusters. With the rapid evolution, DIR-b/d-III was a Gossypium-specific clade involved in atropselective synthesis of gossypol. RNA-seq data highlighted GhDIRs in response to Verticillium dahliaeinfection and suggested that DIR gene family could confer Verticillium wilt resistance. We also identified candidate DIR genes related to fiber development in G. barbadense and G. hirsutum and revealed their differential expression. To further determine the involvement of DIR genes in fiber development, we overexpressed a fiber length-related gene GbDIR78 in Arabidopsis and validated its function in trichomes and hypocotyls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute novel insights towards the evolution of DIR gene family and provide valuable information for further understanding the roles of DIR genes in cotton fiber development as well as in stress responses.
Authors: Olivier Jaillon; Jean-Marc Aury; Benjamin Noel; Alberto Policriti; Christian Clepet; Alberto Casagrande; Nathalie Choisne; Sébastien Aubourg; Nicola Vitulo; Claire Jubin; Alessandro Vezzi; Fabrice Legeai; Philippe Hugueney; Corinne Dasilva; David Horner; Erica Mica; Delphine Jublot; Julie Poulain; Clémence Bruyère; Alain Billault; Béatrice Segurens; Michel Gouyvenoux; Edgardo Ugarte; Federica Cattonaro; Véronique Anthouard; Virginie Vico; Cristian Del Fabbro; Michaël Alaux; Gabriele Di Gaspero; Vincent Dumas; Nicoletta Felice; Sophie Paillard; Irena Juman; Marco Moroldo; Simone Scalabrin; Aurélie Canaguier; Isabelle Le Clainche; Giorgio Malacrida; Eléonore Durand; Graziano Pesole; Valérie Laucou; Philippe Chatelet; Didier Merdinoglu; Massimo Delledonne; Mario Pezzotti; Alain Lecharny; Claude Scarpelli; François Artiguenave; M Enrico Pè; Giorgio Valle; Michele Morgante; Michel Caboche; Anne-Françoise Adam-Blondon; Jean Weissenbach; Francis Quétier; Patrick Wincker Journal: Nature Date: 2007-08-26 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: Timothy L Bailey; Mikael Boden; Fabian A Buske; Martin Frith; Charles E Grant; Luca Clementi; Jingyuan Ren; Wilfred W Li; William S Noble Journal: Nucleic Acids Res Date: 2009-05-20 Impact factor: 16.971
Authors: Cristiane Dos Santos; Lilian S T Carmo; Fabiano T P K Távora; Roberta F C Lima; Pollyana da Nobrega Mendes; Luciana B D Labuto; Maria Eugênia L de Sá; Maria F Grossi-de-Sa; Angela Mehta Journal: 3 Biotech Date: 2022-08-07 Impact factor: 2.893