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JCR | Identification and expression analysis of Tubulin gene family in upland cotton

[Background] Cotton fibers are single-celled extensions of the seed epidermis, a model tissue for studying cytoskeleton. Tubulin genes play a critical role in synthesizing the microtubules (MT) as a core element of the cytoskeleton. However, there is a lack of studies concerning the systematic characterization of the tubulin gene family in cotton. Therefore, the identification and portrayal of G. hirsutum tubulin genes can provide key targets for molecular manipulation in cotton breeding.

[Results] In this study, we investigated all tubulin genes from different plant species and identified 98 tubulin genes in G. hirsutum. Phylogenetic analysis showed that tubulin family genes were classified into three subfamilies. The protein motifs and gene structure of α-, β-tubulin genes are more conserved compared with γ-tubulin genes. Most tubulin genes are located at the proximate ends of the chromosomes. Spatiotemporal expression pattern by transcriptome and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that 12 α-tubulin and 7 β-tubulin genes are specifically expressed during different fiber development stages. However, Gh.A03G027200, Gh.D03G169300, and Gh.A11G258900 had differential expression patterns at distinct stages of fiber development in varieties J02508 and ZRI015.

[Conclusion] In this study, the evolutionary analysis showed that the tubulin genes were divided into three clades. The genetic structures and molecular functions were highly conserved in different plants. Three candidate genes, Gh.A03G027200, Gh.D03G169300, and Gh.A11G258900 may play a key role during fiber development complementing fiber length and strength.

[Title] Identification and expression analysis of Tubulin gene family in upland cotton

[Authors] CHEN Baojun, ZHAO Junjie, FU Guoyong, PEI Xinxin, PAN Zhaoe, LI Hongge, AHMED Haris, HE Shoupu & DU Xiongming

Journal of Cotton Research 2021, 4: 20

https://doi.org/10.1186/s42397-021-00097-1

COTTON WEBINAR 9th Edition 8.00AM To 10.00AM (ET) 2 June 2021

 

Slider-2-June 2021

Better Together -International Partnerships Can Solve Threats to Cotton Production

Speaker: Dr. Jodi Scheffler. Research Geneticist Plants. USDA-ARS. Stoneville, Mississippi, United States

When the seed breaks, when the fibre sticks… Some contaminants of cotton

Speakers: Dr Bruno Bachelier. Assistant Unit Director, Cotton Supply Chain Correspondent, CIRAD France. & Dr Jean-Paul Gourlot. Co-leader of the Cotton Sector Group, CIRAD, France.

Dr. Zahoor Ahmad, First Chairman of the Asian Cotton R & D Network Died Due to COVID-19

Dr. Zahoor Ahmad suffered from COVID-19 for over two weeks and died in a hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan on April 20, 2021. Dr. Ahmad was the founding Chairman of the Asian Cotton Research & Development Network, established in June/July 1999.  Dr. Ahmad was Director of the Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, Pakistan when he hosted a Regional Consultation on Insecticide Resistance Management in Cotton. The Consultation resulted in the formation of the Network, one of the strongest among the four Networks supported by the ICAC.

Dr. Ahmad was an entomologist by training. He received his Ph.D. from the Washington State University in the early 1970s and started his career in pest control on cotton at the Central Cotton Research Institute, Multan, Pakistan.  He became Director of the Institute in 1979 where he served for almost 30 years. Being aware of the consequences of the insecticide use, Dr. Ahmad was one of the first to promote IPM in Pakistan. He had a high reputation as a person of new ideas and worked hardly on the containment of insecticide use in Pakistan. The Multan Institute was comparatively a new institute when he took over in the late 1970s but he led the institute to one of the most prestigious mono crop multidisciplinary research center in the country and abroad. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations hired him to implement a pest control project in Myanmar in 1981, later the FAO moved him to Africa. He worked for the FAO for about five years. Dr. Ahmad attended many meetings of the ICAC.

After retirement he kept him busy and got involved in the seed industry, particularly planting seed of cotton. He was still working as General Manager of a seed company based in Lahore. GOD bless his soul.

Decisions Taken in a Special Executive Committee Meeting held online on 08 January, 2021

MINUTES OF THE ICRA-EC SPECIAL MEETING

8.00 to 10.00 AM Eastern Time, 8 January 2021

A special online meeting of the ICRA Executive Committee was held at 8.00 to 10.00 AM on 8 January 2021.
At the outset, the chair and the ICRA EC members unanimously recorded their deep gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Michel Fok for his commendable contributions and leadership as Chair of ICRA from 2016 to 2020.

The following decisions were taken by majority vote

  • Postponed the election of new EC members to the next WCRC-7.
  • The current Executive Committee will continue until the WCRC-7 with Dr. Mohamed Negm as the Chair
  • Eric Hequet has been unanimously elected as the vice-Chair.
  • Elections will be held at the General Body meeting to be convened at the WCRC-7

ICRA NEWSLETTER

  • The ICRA newsletter will be renamed as ‘Cotton Innovations’
  • The newsletter will be published at monthly intervals
  • ICRA-EC members will take turns to act as editors of ‘Cotton Innovations’
  • Mike McCue, Communications Director, ICAC will be requested to be the chief Editor
  • Kai Hughes will be requested for permission of ICAC support (chief Editor, design and layout)
  • The ICRA Secretariat will circulate the newsletter and solicit feedback from ICRA members