Genome-wide expression analysis of LACS gene family implies GHLACS25 functional responding to salt stress in cotton

Abstract

Abstract Background: Long-chain acyl-coenzyme A synthetase (LACS) is a type of acylating enzyme with AMP-binding, playing an important role in the growth, development, and stress response processes of plants. Results: The research team identified different numbers of LACSgenes in four cotton species (Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium barbadense, Gossypium raimondii and Gossypium arboreum), indicating a certain diversity of LACS genes among different cotton species. By analyzing the structure and evolutionary characteristics of LACS genes, the GHLACS genes were divided into six subgroups, and a chromosome distribution map of the family members was drawn, providing a basis for further research classification and positioning. Promoter cis-acting element analysis showed that most GHLACSgenes contain plant hormones (GA, MeJA) or non-biological stress-related cis-elements, suggesting that GHLACS genes may be involved in the regulation of plant growth, development, and stress response processes. The expression patterns of GHLACS genes under salt stress treatment were analyzed, and the results showed that GHLACS genes may significantly participate in salt stress response through different mechanisms. The research team selected 12 GHLACS genes responsive to salt stress for tissue expression analysis and found that these genes are expressed in different tissues. Conclusions: GHLACS25 was chosen for in-depth study, and it was confirmed that the GHLACS25 gene plays an important role in salt stress response through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and induced expression in yeast cells. Overall, this study provides important clues and evidence for understanding the function of LACSgenes in cotton and their role in growth, development, and stress response processes. It is hoped that future research will further explore the mechanism of action of LACS genes in cotton and explore their potential application value in improving stress resistance traits.