title: Overexpression of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) dirigent1 gene enhances lignification that blocks the spread of Verticillium dahliae.
abstract: Dirigent super-family abounds throughout the plant kingdom, especially vascular plants. To elucidate the function of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) DIR genes in lignification, two cDNAs (designated GhDIR1 and GhDIR2) encoding putative dirigent proteins were isolated from cotton cDNA libraries. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that GhDIR1 transcript was preferentially accumulated in cotton hypocotyls, whereas GhDIR2 was predominantly expressed in cotton fibers. Overexpression of GhDIR1 gene resulted in an increase in lignin content in transgenic cotton plants, compared with that of wild type. Histochemical assay revealed that the transgenic plants displayed more widespread lignification than that of wild type in epidermis and vascular bundle. Furthermore, the transgenic cotton plants displayed more tolerance to the infection of Verticillium dahliae. Our data suggest that GhDIR1 may be involved in cotton lignification which can block the spread of fungal pathogen V. dahliae.
authors.affiliation: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhihao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Chaojun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Fuguang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xuebao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D003368:Gossypium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D008031:Lignin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020172:Verticillium / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C575905:dirigent protein, cotton; D008031:Lignin