Functional characterization of AGAMOUS-subfamily members from cotton during reproductive development and in response to plant hormones.
Expression analysis of the AG -subfamily members from G. hirsutum during flower and fruit development. Reproductive development in cotton, including the fruit and fiber formation, is a complex process; it involves the coordinated action of gene expression regulators, and it is highly influenced by plant hormones. Several studies have reported the identification and expression of the transcription factor family MADS-box members in cotton ovules and fibers; however, their roles are still elusive during the reproductive development in cotton. In this study, we evaluated the expression profiles of five MADS-box genes (GhMADS3, GhMADS4, GhMADS5, GhMADS6 and GhMADS7) belonging to the AGAMOUS-subfamily in Gossypium hirsutum. Phylogenetic and protein sequence analyses were performed using diploid (G. arboreum, G. raimondii) and tetraploid (G. barbadense, G. hirsutum) cotton genomes, as well as the AG-subfamily members from Arabidopsis thaliana, Petunia hybrida and Antirrhinum majus. qPCR analysis showed that the AG-subfamily genes had high expression during flower and fruit development in G. hirsutum. In situ hybridization analysis also substantiates the involvement of AG-subfamily members on reproductive tissues of G. hirsutum, including ovule and ovary. The effect of plant hormones on AG-subfamily genes expression was verified in cotton fruits treated with gibberellin, auxin and brassinosteroid. All the genes were significantly regulated in response to auxin, whereas only GhMADS3, GhMADS4 and GhMADS7 genes were also regulated by brassinosteroid treatment. In addition, we have investigated the GhMADS3 and GhMADS4 overexpression effects in Arabidopsis plants. Interestingly, the transgenic plants from both cotton AG-like genes in Arabidopsis significantly altered the fruit size compared to the control plants. This alteration suggests that cotton AG-like genes might act regulating fruit formation. Our results demonstrate that members of the AG-subfamily in G. hirsutum present a conserved expression profile during flower development, but also demonstrate their expression during fruit development and in response to phytohormones.
Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Av. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, s/n - Prédio do CCS - Instituto de Biologia, 2° andar, sala A2-93, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 219410-970, Brazil.
Stéfanie Menezes
SM
de Moura
Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Av. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, s/n - Prédio do CCS - Instituto de Biologia, 2° andar, sala A2-93, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 219410-970, Brazil.
Sinara
S
Artico
Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Av. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, s/n - Prédio do CCS - Instituto de Biologia, 2° andar, sala A2-93, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 219410-970, Brazil.
Cássio
C
Lima
Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Av. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, s/n - Prédio do CCS - Instituto de Biologia, 2° andar, sala A2-93, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 219410-970, Brazil.
Sarah Muniz
SM
Nardeli
Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Ana
A
Berbel
Laboratório de Interação Planta-Praga, Parque Estação Biológica (PqEB), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Av. W5 Norte (final), Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, CEP 70770-900, Brazil.|Centro Universitário Unieuro, Av. das Nações Trecho 0, Conjunto 5, Brasília, DF, 70.200-001, Brazil.
Osmundo Brilhante
OB
Oliveira-Neto
Laboratório de Interação Planta-Praga, Parque Estação Biológica (PqEB), Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Av. W5 Norte (final), Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, CEP 70770-900, Brazil.
Maria Fátima
MF
Grossi-de-Sá
Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Cristina
C
Ferrándiz
Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Francisco
F
Madueño
Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Av. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco, s/n - Prédio do CCS - Instituto de Biologia, 2° andar, sala A2-93, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 219410-970, Brazil. alvesfer@uol.com.br.
Márcio
0000-0002-6107-3700
M
Alves-Ferreira
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D005638:Fruit / Q000254:growth & development; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D017343:Genes, Plant; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D003368:Gossypium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein
D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators
Gene expression; Gossypium hirsutum; MADS-box genes; Plant hormones; Reference genes; Reproductive development