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Characterization and expression of plasma and tonoplast membrane aquaporins in elongating cotton fibers

  • Genetics and Genomics
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Abstract

Cotton fiber (Gossypium hirsutum L. and G. barbadense L.) is a good model for studies of plant cell elongation and cell wall biogenesis. Aquaporins are ancient membrane channel proteins that facilitate the permeation of water across biological membranes. We studied GhPIP1-2, encoding plasma membrane intrinsic protein, and GhγTIP1, encoding tonoplast intrinsic protein, during cotton fiber development. The full-length cDNAs of GhPIP1-2 and GhγTIP1 were obtained through 5′ RACE. The deduced amino acid sequences of GhPIP1-2 and GhγTIP1 share high sequence identity with aquaporins from diverse plant species. Phylogenetic analysis of GhPIP1-2 and GhγTIP1 with other plant aquaporins showed that GhPIP1-2 belongs to the PIP1 group of the PIP subfamily and GhγTIP1 belongs to the γTIP group of the TIP subfamily. GhPIP1-2 and GhγTIP1 contain three and two introns, respectively. Genomic Southern blot analysis indicated that GhPIP1-2 and GhγTIP1 have several copies and multiple homologous genes in allotetraploid cotton. Northern blot analysis with gene-specific probes and real-time PCR demonstrated that GhPIP1-2 and GhγTIP1 are predominantly expressed during cotton fiber elongation, with the highest expression levels at 5 days post-anthesis. Moreover, expression patterns of the two genes in G. hirsutum and G. barbadense are similar, whereas the expression levels in G. barbadense are much lower than that in G. hirsutum. The high and preferential expression of GhPIP1-2 and GhγTIP1 during fiber cell elongation suggests that they may play important roles in supporting the rapid influx of water into vacuoles during cotton fiber cell expansion.

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Abbreviations

AQP:

Aquaporin

DPA:

Days post anthesis

ESTs:

Expressed sequence tags

NIP:

Nodulin26-like intrinsic protein

ORF:

Open reading frame

PIP:

Plasma membrane intrinsic protein

QRT-PCR:

Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR

RACE:

Rapid amplification of cDNA ends

SIP:

Small basic intrinsic protein

TM-1:

Texas Marker-1

TIP:

Tonoplast intrinsic protein

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by the National High-Tech Project (2006AA10A109-4) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (30671323).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China

    Diqiu Liu, Lili Tu, Li Wang, Yunjing Li, Longfu Zhu & Xianlong Zhang

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  1. Diqiu Liu
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  2. Lili Tu
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  3. Li Wang
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  4. Yunjing Li
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  5. Longfu Zhu
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  6. Xianlong Zhang
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Correspondence to Xianlong Zhang.

Additional information

Communicated by K. Toriyama.

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Liu, D., Tu, L., Wang, L. et al. Characterization and expression of plasma and tonoplast membrane aquaporins in elongating cotton fibers. Plant Cell Rep 27, 1385–1394 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-008-0545-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-008-0545-6

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