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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #248883
Title: Identification of the family of aquaporin genes and their expression in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Author
item Park, Wonkeun
item Scheffler, Brian
item Bauer, Philip
item Campbell, Benjamin - Todd

Submitted to: BMC Plant Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2010
Publication Date: 7/13/2010
Citation: Park, W., Scheffler, B.E., Bauer, P.J., Campbell, B.T. 2010. Identification of the family of aquaporin genes and their expression in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Biomed Central (BMC) Plant Biology. 10:142.

Interpretive Summary: One of the primary factors affecting both the quantity and quality of cotton production is water. Efforts to manipulate the water use properties of cotton are desirable to both minimize the quantity of soil water used and to maximize cotton production. It is now well established in plants and other organisms that aquaporin proteins play a major role in the physiological movement of water through cell membranes. Evidence is also emerging which demonstrates that aquaporin genes represent an excellent target for efforts to manipulate plant water use efficiency. While a great deal is known about aquaporins in plants, there is very little is knowledge about the aquaporin genes present in cotton. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify the cotton aquaporin genes and investigate both their structural properties and putative expression patterns. Using gene cloning, DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics, we identified 71 cotton aquaporin genes for cotton. Phylogenetic analysis of amino acid sequences divided the large and highly homologous multi-gene family into the known 5 aquaporin subfamilies. Together with expression and bioinformatic functional analyses, our results support the idea that the genes identified in this study represent an important genetic resource providing potential targets to modify the water use properties of cotton.

Technical Abstract: One of the primary factors affecting both the quantity and quality of cotton production is water. A major facilitator of water movement through cell membranes of cotton and other plants are the aquaporin proteins. Aquaporin proteins are present as diverse forms in plants, where they function as transport systems for water and other small molecules. Although a great deal is known about aquaporins in plants, very little is known in cotton. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify the cotton aquaporin genes and investigate both their structural properties and putative expression patterns. From a molecular cloning effort, together with a bioinformatic homology search, 71 cotton aquaporin genes were identified. Phylogenetic analysis of amino acid sequences divided the large and highly homologous multi-gene family into the known 5 aquaporin subfamilies. Together with expression and bioinformatic functional analyses, our results support the idea that the genes identified in this study represent an important genetic resource providing potential targets to modify the water use properties of cotton.