Protein palmitoylation is an ability of the frame of the cell marker protein is one of the most notable reversible changes after translation. However, studies on protein palmitoylation in cotton have not yet been performed. In our current research, the PAT gene family was systematically identified and bioinformatically analyzed in G. arboreum, G. raimondii, G. barbadense and G. hirsutum, and 211 PAT genes were authenticated and classified into six subfamilies. Sixty-nine PAT genes were identified in upland cotton, mainly at the ends of its the 26 chromosomes of upland cotton. The majority of these genes are located in the nucleus of the plant. Gene structure analysis revealed that each member encodes a protein that which contains at least one DHHC structural domain. Cis-acting element analysis indicated that GhPATs genes are mainly involved in hormone production, light response and stress response. Gene expression pattern analysis indicated that most GhPATs genes were differentially expressed upon induction by pathogenic bacteria, drought, salt, hot and cold stresses, and some GhPATs could be induced by multiple abiotic stresses simultaneously. GhPATs genes showed different expression patterns in tissue-specific assays and were found to be preferentially expressed in roots, followed by expression in stems and leaves. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiments showed that cotton was significantly less resistant to Verticillium dahliae when GhPAT27 was silenced. We conclude that the GhPAT27 gene, which mediates S-palmitoylation acetylation, may be involved in the regulation of upland cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt (VW). Overall, this work has provided a fundamental framework for understanding the latent capabilities of GhPATs and a solid foundation for molecular breeding and plant pathogen resistance in cotton.
Keywords: GhPAT gene family; Gossypium hirsutum L.; genome-wide analysis; palmitoyl transferase.