Silencing the vacuolar invertase gene GhVIN1 blocks cotton fiber initiation from the ovule epidermis, probably by suppressing a cohort of regulatory genes via sugar signaling. (29th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Lu; Cook, Akiko; Patrick, John W.; Chen, Xiao‐Ya; Ruan, Yong‐Ling
• Is Part Of: Plant journal. Volume 78:Number 4(2014:May)
• Page Start: 686
• Page End: 696
• Publication Date: 2014-04-29
• Subjects: Plant molecular biology -- Periodicals; Plant cells and tissues -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12512
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-7412

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="tpj12512-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Cotton fibers, the most important source of cellulose for the global textile industry, are single‐celled trichomes derived from the ovule epidermis at or just prior to anthesis. Despite progress in understanding cotton fiber elongation and cell‐wall biosynthesis, knowledge regarding the molecular basis of fiber cell initiation, the first step of fiber development determining the fiber yield potential, remains elusive. Here, we provide evidence that expression of a vacuolar invertase (VIN) is an early event that is essential for cotton fiber initiation. RNAi‐mediated suppression of <italic>GhVIN1</italic>, a major <italic>VIN</italic> gene that is highly expressed in wild‐type fiber initials, resulted in significant reduction of VIN activity and consequently a fiberless seed phenotype in a dosage dependent manner. The absence of a negative effect on seed development in these fiberless seeds indicates that the phenotype is unlikely to be due to lack of carbon nutrient. Gene expression analyses coupled with <italic>in vitro</italic> ovule culture experiments revealed that GhVIN1‐derived hexose signaling may play an indispensable role in cotton fiber initiation, probably by regulating the transcription of several MYB transcription factors and auxin signaling components that were previously identified as required for fiber initiation. Together, the data represent a significant advance in understanding the mechanisms of cotton fiber initiation, and provide the first indication that VIN‐mediated hexose signaling may act as an early event modulating the expression of regulatory genes and hence cell differentiation from the ovule epidermis.</p> </abstract>