Seed cotton yield is a trait governed by multiple genes that cause changes in the performance of genotypes depending on the cultivation environment. Breeding programs examine the genotype x environment interaction (GE) using precise statistical methods, such as AMMI (additive main effects and multiplicative interaction) and GGE biplot (genotype main effects + genotype x environment interaction). The AMMI method combines the analysis of variance and principal components, to adjust the main effects (genotypes and environments) and the effects of GE interaction, respectively.
UDP-glucuronate decarboxylase (UDP-xylose synthase; UXS, EC 4.1.1.35) is an essential enzyme of the non-cellulosic polysaccharide biosynthetic pathway. In the present study, using transient expression of fluorescently labeled Gossypium hirsutum UXS (GhUXS3) protein in onion epidermal cells, we observed that this protein was distributed in the cytoplasm. The GhUXS3 cDNA of cotton was expressed in an antisense orientation in Arabidopsis thaliana by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation.
Gene sequences previously identified in Arabidopsis buds were used as references in order to estimate temporal and tissue expression in buds, leaves, stem, and root tissues in cotton plants. Buds were evaluated during 3 phases: 2-8, 10-12, and 14-20 mm. Primers were designed for the ARF6, ATFY, and SEUSS genes for use in semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Different levels of expression of the 3 genes were confirmed in cotton buds as well as in other tissues.
