Preliminary Functional Characterization of the Histone Demethylase Gene GbJMJ25 from Sea Island Cotton (Gossypium barbadense) in Response to Drought Stress
WANG Xiao-Yun, LI Yue, Maiwulan• TUERSUN, Miheriba• ALIMU, SUN Xing-Ju, ZHANG Xia*
Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Abstract：Sea Island cotton (Gossypium barbadense) is renowned for its superior fiber quality and high economic value. However, drought stress significantly impacts its yield and fiber quality. Identifying drought stress-related genes as candidate genes for molecular design breeding is one of the key strategies to enhance drought resistance in Sea Island cotton. In this study, the gene GbJMJ25 (JMJ: Jumonji), encoding a histone demethylase in Sea Island cotton, was cloned using RT-PCR. Bioinformatics analysis, expression profiling, and subcellular localization of GbJMJ25 were conducted, and its potential role in drought stress response was preliminarily validated using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that GbJMJ25 encoded a protein of 1 055 amino acids, containing 2 conserved domains, RING and JmjC. The promoter region of GbJMJ25 contained multiple cis-acting elements related to light response, growth and development, and stress response. Expression pattern analysis demonstrated that GbJMJ25 was responsive to abscisic acid (ABA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatments. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that GbJMJ25 protein was localized in the nucleus. Functional validation via VIGS technology showed that under normal conditions, GbJMJ25-silenced cotton plants exhibited no significant phenotypic differences compared with the control (pTRV2) plants. However, under drought stress, GbJMJ25-silenced plants displayed enhanced tolerance, with a higher survival rate than the control, suggesting that GbJMJ25 might play a role in cotton's drought stress response. The results of this study provide candidate genes for improving drought resistance in Sea Island cotton through molecular design breeding.
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