Identification and Expression Analysis of the <i>NPF</i> Genes in Cotton
The NPF (NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER FAMILY) transports various substrates, including nitrogen (N), which is essential for plant growth and development. Although many NPF homologs have been identified in various plants, limited studies on these proteins have been reported in cotton. Th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/22/14262 |
| Summary: | The NPF (NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER FAMILY) transports various substrates, including nitrogen (N), which is essential for plant growth and development. Although many NPF homologs have been identified in various plants, limited studies on these proteins have been reported in cotton. This study identified 75, 71, and 150 NPF genes in <i>Gossypium arboreum</i>, <i>G. raimondii,</i> and <i>G. hirsutum</i>, respectively, via genome-wide analyses. The phylogenetic tree indicated that cotton <i>NPF</i> genes are subdivided into eight subgroups, closely clustered with <i>Arabidopsis</i> orthologues. The chromosomal location, gene structure, motif compositions, and cis-elements have been displayed. Moreover, the collinearity analysis showed that whole-genome duplication event has played an important role in the expansion and diversification of the <i>NPF</i> gene family in cotton. According to the transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses, several <i>GhNPFs</i> were induced by the nitrogen deficiency treatment. Additional functional experiments revealed that virus-induced silencing (VIGS) of the <i>GhNPF6.14</i> gene affects the growth and N absorption and accumulation in cotton. Thus, this study lays the foundation for further functional characterization of <i>NPF</i> genes in cotton. |
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| ISSN: | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |