Genome-Wide Analysis of the -Like Genes in and Functional Characterization of the Seed Size Effect of .

Cotton is one of the most economically important crops worldwide. Seed size is a vital trait for plants connected with yield and germination. encodes a RING_Ubox E3 ubiquitin ligase that controls seed development by affecting cell growth. Here, are few reports on -like genes in cotton, and the function of in cotton is poorly understood. In the present study, a genome-wide analysis identified 6 and 3 like genes in each of the two cultivated tetraploids ( and ) and each of their diploid ancestral species (, ), respectively. has the same functional domain and high sequence similarity with in . Overexpression of in significantly reduced seed and seedling size, suggesting is a potential target for regulating cotton seed size. These results provided information on the genetic and molecular basis of -like genes in cotton, thus establishing a foundation for functional studies of cotton seeds.