Abstract
Key message
R2R3 MYB transcription factor GhMYB18 is involved in the defense response to cotton aphid by participating in the synthesis of salicylic acid and flavonoids.
Abstract
R2R3 MYB transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in plant growth and development as well as response to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, the mechanism of R2R3 MYB TFs in cotton response to aphid infestation remains largely unknown. Here, an R2R3 MYB transcription factor GhMYB18 was identified as a gene up-regulated from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) infestation. GhMYB18, which has transcription activity, was localized mainly to nucleus and cell membranes. Transient overexpression of GhMYB18 in cotton activates salicylic acid (SA) and phenylpropane signaling pathways and promoted the synthesis of salicylic acid and flavonoids, which leads to enhancing the tolerance to cotton aphid feeding. In contrast, silencing of GhMYB18 increased the susceptibility of G. hirsutum to aphid. Additionally, GhMYB18 significantly promoted the activities of defense-related enzymes including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). These results collectively suggest that GhMYB18 is involved in cotton defense response to cotton aphid attacks through regulating the synthesis of salicylic acid and flavonoids.
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The data sets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 32172400)
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Funding Open Access funding enabled and organized by JM Zhang. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 32172400) and open Fund from Key Laboratory of Integrated Pests Management on Crops in Central China, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Diseases, Insect Pests and Weeds Control.
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JMZ, YZY, HLA, DX, XPW and PW: conceived and designed the research. ZWH, XZ and HRZ: performed the experiments; ZWH, XCL and YXW: analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. YW, TL and YZ: provided helpful comments and discussions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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299_2022_2961_MOESM4_ESM.tif
Supplementary file4 Fig. S1 Trans-activation assay of BD-nGhMYB18 and BD-cGhMYB18 in yeast. Yeast strains harboring BD control, BD-nGhMYB18 and BD-cGhMYB18 were grown on SD/-Trp (A), SD/-Trp with X-a-Gal (B) and SD/-Trp with AbA and X-a-Gal medium (C) and cultivated at 28 ℃ for 3 days (TIF 28786 KB)
Supplementary file5 Fig. S2 The aphid honeydew was collected with Whatman filter paper (TIF 1967 KB)
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Supplementary file6 Fig. S3 The content of free gossypol in GhMYB18 transiently expressed cotton (A) and GhMYB18-silenced cotton (B). Those bars indicate the standard errors, the alphabets represent the level of significant difference (p < 0.05) (TIF 27653 KB)
299_2022_2961_MOESM7_ESM.tif
Supplementary file7 Fig. S4 The expression level of genes related to lignin synthesis pathway in GhMYB18 transiently expressed cotton (A) and GhMYB18-silenced cotton (B). Those bars indicate the standard errors, the alphabets represent the level of significant difference (p < 0.05) (TIF 27894 KB)
299_2022_2961_MOESM8_ESM.tif
Supplementary file8 Fig. S5 Phenotypic analysis of GhMYB18 transiently expressed cotton (A, B) and GhMYB18-silenced (C, D) cotton (TIF 28906 KB)
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Hu, Z., Zhong, X., Zhang, H. et al. GhMYB18 confers Aphis gossypii Glover resistance through regulating the synthesis of salicylic acid and flavonoids in cotton plants. Plant Cell Rep 42, 355–369 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-022-02961-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-022-02961-z