Multi-Omics-Based Identification and Functional Characterization of Proves Its Potential Role in Drought Stress Tolerance in .

Cotton is one of the most important fiber crops globally. Despite this, various abiotic stresses, including drought, cause yield losses. We used transcriptome profiles to investigate the co-expression patterns of gene networks associated with drought stress tolerance. We identified three gene modules containing 3,567 genes highly associated with drought stress tolerance. Within these modules, we identified 13 hub genes based on intramodular significance, for further validation. The yellow module has five hub genes (, and ), the brown module contains three hub genes belonging to the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene family (, and ), and the pink module has five hub genes (, and ). Based on RT-qPCR results, the gene has the highest expression under drought stress in different plant tissues and it might be the true candidate gene linked to drought stress tolerance in cotton. Silencing of in cotton leaves conferred significant sensitivity in response to drought stress treatments. Overexpression of in Arabidopsis also confirms its role in drought stress tolerance. L-valine, Glutaric acid, L-proline, L-Glutamic acid, and L-Tryptophan were found to be the most significant metabolites playing roles in drought stress tolerance. These findings add significantly to existing knowledge of drought stress tolerance mechanisms in cotton.