Attenuation of ethylene signaling increases cotton resistance to a defoliating strain of Verticillium dahliae
Tianyi Wang,
Muhammad Shaban,
Junhui Shi,
Weiran Wang,
Shiming Liu,
Xinhui Nie,
Yu Yu,
Jie Kong,
Steven J. Klosterman,
Xianlong Zhang,
Alifu Aierxi,
Longfu Zhu
Affiliations
Tianyi Wang
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
Muhammad Shaban
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China; Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Sub-Campus Burewala, Punjab 61010, Pakistan
Junhui Shi
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
Weiran Wang
Institute of Economic Crops, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kuqa 842000, Xinjiang, China
Shiming Liu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
Xinhui Nie
Key Laboratory of Oasis Eco-agriculture of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Crops, College of Agronomy, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
Yu Yu
Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural & Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, Xinjiang, China
Jie Kong
Institute of Economic Crops, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kuqa 842000, Xinjiang, China
Steven J. Klosterman
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, CA 93905, USA
Xianlong Zhang
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
Alifu Aierxi
Institute of Economic Crops, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kuqa 842000, Xinjiang, China; Corresponding authors.
Longfu Zhu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China; Corresponding authors.
The severity of Verticillium wilt on cotton caused by defoliating strains of Verticillium dahliae has gradually increased and threatens production worldwide. Identification of the molecular components of leaf defoliation may increase cotton tolerance to V. dahliae. Ethylene, a major player in plant physiological processes, is often associated with senescence and defoliation of plants. We investigated the cotton–V. dahliae interaction with a focus on the role of ethylene in defoliation and defense against V. dahliae. Cotton plants inoculated with V. dahliae isolate V991, a defoliating strain, accumulated more ethylene and showed increased disease symptoms than those inoculated with a non-defoliating strain. In cotton with a transiently silenced ethylene synthesis gene (GhACOs) and signaling gene (GhEINs) during cotton–V. dahliae interaction, ethylene produced was derived from cotton and more ethylene increased cotton susceptibility and defoliation rate. Overexpression of AtCTR1, a negative regulator in ethylene signaling, in cotton reduced sensitivity to ethylene and increased plant resistance to V. dahliae. Collectively, the results indicated precise regulation of ethylene synthesis or signaling pathways improve cotton resistant to Verticillium wilt.
