Evolution and Characterization of Acetyl Coenzyme A: Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase Genes in Cotton Identify the Roles of GhDGAT3D in Oil Biosynthesis and Fatty Acid Composition

Yan-Peng Zhao; Na Wu; Wen-Jie Li; Jian-Ling Shen; Chen Chen; Fu-Guang Li; Yu-Xia Hou

doi:10.3390/genes12071045

Evolution and Characterization of Acetyl Coenzyme A: Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase Genes in Cotton Identify the Roles of GhDGAT3D in Oil Biosynthesis and Fatty Acid Composition

Genes (Basel). 2021 Jul 7;12(7):1045. doi: 10.3390/genes12071045.

Authors

Yan-Peng Zhao^{1

2}, Na Wu^{1

2}, Wen-Jie Li^{1

2}, Jian-Ling Shen^{1

2}, Chen Chen^{1

2}, Fu-Guang Li^{1

2}, Yu-Xia Hou^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China.
³ College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Beijing 100193, China.

Abstract

Cottonseed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) and serves as an edible oil in human nutrition. Reports suggest that acyl-coenzyme A: diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) and wax ester synthase/DGAT (WSD1) genes encode a key group of enzymes that catalyze the final step for triacylglycerol biosynthesis and enable an important rate-limiting process. However, their roles in oil biosynthesis and the fatty acid profile of cotton seed are poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify and characterize DGAT and WSD1 genes in cotton plants and examine their roles in oil biosynthesis, the fatty acid profile of cotton seeds, and abiotic stress responses. In this study, 36 GhDGAT and GhWSD1 genes were identified in upland cotton (G. hirsutum) and found to be clustered into four groups: GhDGAT1, GhDGAT2, GhDGAT3, and GhWSD1. Gene structure and domain analyses showed that the GhDGAT and GhWSD1 genes in each group are highly conserved. Gene synteny analysis indicated that segmental and tandem duplication events occurred frequently during cotton evolution. Expression analysis revealed that GhDGAT and GhWSD1 genes function widely in cotton development and stress responses; moreover, several environmental stress and hormone response-related cis-elements were detected in the GhDGAT and GhWSD1 promoter regions. The predicted target transcription factors and miRNAs imply an extensive role of GhDGAT and GhWSD1 genes in stress responses. Increases in GhDGAT3 gene expression with increases in cottonseed oil accumulation were observed. Transformation study results showed that there was an increase in C18:1 content and a decrease in C18:2 and C18:3 contents in seeds of Arabidopsis transgenic plants overexpressing GhDGAT3D compared with that of control plants. Overall, these findings contributed to the understanding of the functions of GhDGAT and GhWSD1 genes in upland cotton, providing basic information for further research.

Keywords: GhDGAT3; Gossypium; acyl-coenzyme A: diacylglycerol acyltransferase; oil biosynthesis; upland cotton.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acetyl Coenzyme A / genetics*
Arabidopsis / genetics
Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase / genetics*
Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase / metabolism*
Fatty Acids / metabolism*
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Gossypium / genetics*
Plant Proteins / genetics
Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
Seeds / metabolism
Stress, Physiological
Synteny
Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

Fatty Acids
Plant Proteins
Transcription Factors
Acetyl Coenzyme A
Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase