Functional Analysis of the Gene in Cotton Resistance to Verticillium Wilt.

Cotton is a critical crop with massive economic implications worldwide. Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne ailment caused by , which harms the growth and development of cotton. Therefore, investigating the genes associated with resistance to verticillium wilt is of particular significance. In this study, we identified the gene through transcriptome analysis and experimentally characterized the role of the gene in cotton against . The findings indicated that acts as a calmodulin-binding protein. The expression of was the highest in stems, and the expression level increased significantly following infection with . The expression in resistant cotton varieties was higher than in susceptible cotton varieties. Through overexpression of the gene in tobacco, these transgenic plants exhibited improved resistance to . In contrast, by silencing the gene in cotton through VIGS, the resistance to was reduced. Following inoculation, the leaves yellowed, and the disease index was higher. Transcriptome analysis of transgenic tobacco 72 h after inoculation indicated that overexpression of increased the enrichment of the calmodulin pathway and stimulated the production of plant hormones alongside secondary metabolites. Consequently, we investigated the relationship between the gene and plant disease-resistant hormones SA, JA, and ABA. In summary, this study uncovered the mechanism by which conferred resistance to in cotton through positive regulation of JA and ABA, providing crucial information for further research on the adaptation of plants to pathogen invasion.