| Summary: | Members of the acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP) gene family play vital roles in diverse processes related to lipid metabolism, growth and development, and environmental response. Plant <i>ACBP</i> genes have been well-studied in a variety of species including Arabidopsis, soybean, rice and maize. However, the identification and functions of <i>ACBP</i> genes in cotton remain to be elucidated. In this study, a total of 11 <i>GaACBP</i>, 12 <i>GrACBP</i>, 20 <i>GbACBP</i>, and 19 <i>GhACBP</i> genes were identified in the genomes of <i>Gossypium arboreum</i>, <i>Gossypium raimondii</i>, <i>Gossypium babardense,</i> and <i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>, respectively, and grouped into four clades. Forty-nine duplicated gene pairs were identified in <i>Gossypium ACBP</i> genes, and almost all of which have undergone purifying selection during the long evolutionary process. In addition, expression analyses showed that most of the <i>GhACBP</i> genes were highly expressed in the developing embryos. Furthermore, <i>GhACBP1</i> and <i>GhACBP2</i> were induced by salt and drought stress based on a real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay, indicating that these genes may play an important role in salt- and drought-stress tolerance. This study will provide a basic resource for further functional analysis of the <i>ACBP</i> gene family in cotton.
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