ACO is one of the rate-limiting enzymes in the biosynthesis of ethylene, and it plays a critical role in the regulation of plant growth and development. However, the function of ACO genes in cotton is not well studied. In this study, a total of 332 GhACOs, 187 GaACOs, and 181 GrACOs were identified in G. hirsutum, G. arboretum, and G. raimondii, respectively. Gene duplication analysis showed that whole-genome duplication (WGD) and tandem duplication were the major forces driving the generation of cotton ACO genes. In the promoters of GhACOs, there were cis-acting elements responding to stress, phytohormones, light, and circadian factors, indicating the possible involvement of GhACOs in these processes. Expression and co-expression analyses illustrated that most GhACOs were not only widely expressed in various tissues but also coexpressed with other genes in response to salt and drought stress. GhACO106_At overexpression in Arabidopsis promoted flowering and increased salt tolerance. These results provide a comprehensive overview of the ACO genes of cotton and lay the foundation for subsequent functional studies of these genes.
Keywords: ACO gene; G. hirsutum; expression patterns; flowering; stress response.