AUTHOR=He Lu , Han Zegang , Zang Yihao , Dai Fan , Chen Jinwen , Jin Shangkun , Huang Chujun , Cheng Yu , Zhang Juncheng , Xu Biyu , Qi Guoan , Cao Yiwen , Yan Sunyi , Xuan Lisha , Zhang Tianzhen , Si Zhanfeng , Hu Yan 

TITLE=Advanced genes expression pattern greatly contributes to divergence in Verticillium wilt resistance between Gossypium barbadense and Gossupium hirsutum

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.979585

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.979585

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Verticillium</italic>, representing one of the world’s major pathogens, causes Verticillium wilt in important woody species, ornamentals, agricultural, etc., consequently resulting in a serious decline in production and quality, especially in cotton. <italic>Gossupium hirutum</italic> and <italic>Gossypium barbadense</italic> are two kinds of widely cultivated cotton species that suffer from Verticillium wilt, while <italic>G. barbadense</italic> has much higher resistance toward it than <italic>G. hirsutum</italic>. However, the molecular mechanism regarding their divergence in Verticillium wilt resistance remains largely unknown. In the current study, <italic>G. barbadense cv.</italic> Hai7124 and <italic>G. hirsutum</italic> acc. TM-1 were compared at 0, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h post-inoculation (hpi) utilizing high throughput RNA-Sequencing. As a result, a total of 3,549 and 4,725 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, respectively. In particular, the resistant type Hai7124 displayed an earlier and faster detection and signaling response to the <italic>Verticillium dahliae</italic> infection and demonstrated higher expression levels of defense-related genes over TM-1 with respect to transcription factors, plant hormone signal transduction, plant-pathogen interaction, and nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) genes. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of divergence in <italic>Verticillium wilt</italic> resistance between <italic>G. barbadense</italic> and <italic>G. hirsutum</italic> and important candidate genes for breeding <italic>V. dahliae</italic> resistant cotton cultivars.</p>