Harnessing the acid growth theory to optimize apoplastic acidification for enhancing cotton fiber elongation.

ABSTRACT: Cotton (Gossypium spp.), a major global fiber crop, serves as an ideal model for research on plant cell development. According to the acid growth theory, plasma membrane (PM) H⁺-ATPase (HA) regulates cell wall acidification, thereby promoting cell elongation and providing a mechanistic framework for understanding this process. However, its application to cotton fiber cells has remained limited. In this study, the acid growth theory was utilized to investigate the elongation of cotton fibers. Comparative genomics revealed an expansion in the number of gene family members associated with acid growth, including PM HA and transmembrane kinase (TMK) genes, in tetraploid cotton. Transcriptomic analysis highlighted the co-expression of these genes during fiber elongation. Functional va

SUBMITTER: Li C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12281276 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature