Genome-Wide and Expression Pattern Analysis of the DVL Gene Family Reveals Is Involved in Fuzz Development in .

DVL is one of the small polypeptides which plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development, tissue differentiation, and organ formation in the process of coping with stress conditions. So far, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the expression profile and function of the cotton gene. According to previous studies, a candidate gene related to the development of fuzz was screened, belonging to the DVL family, and was related to the development of trichomes in . However, the comprehensive identification and systematic analysis of DVL in cotton have not been conducted. In this study, we employed bioinformatics approaches to conduct a novel analysis of the structural characteristics, phylogenetic tree, gene structure, expression pattern, evolutionary relationship, and selective pressure of the DVL gene family members in four cotton species. A total of 117 genes were identified, including 39 members in . Based on the phylogenetic analysis, the DVL protein sequences were categorized into five distinct subfamilies. Additionally, we successfully mapped these genes onto chromosomes and visually represented their gene structure information. Furthermore, we predicted the presence of -acting elements in genes in and characterized the repeat types of genes in the four cotton species. Moreover, we computed the Ka/Ks ratio of homologous genes across the four cotton species and elucidated the selective pressure acting on these homologous genes. In addition, we described the expression patterns of the DVL gene family using RNA-seq data, verified the correlation between and fuzz development through VIGS technology, and found that some genes may be involved in resistance to biotic and abiotic stress conditions through qRT-PCR technology. Furthermore, a potential interaction network was constructed by WGCNA, and our findings demonstrated the potential of to interact with numerous genes, thereby playing a crucial role in regulating fuzz development. This research significantly contributed to the comprehension of genes in upland cotton, thereby establishing a solid basis for future investigations into the functional aspects of genes in cotton.