Identification of Salt-responsive Genes in Upland cotton

Cotton, the world's main source of natural fiber, is the second most salt tolerant crop next to barley. However, salinity is still a problem of cotton growers because it affects productivity of cotton plants. Some of its known effects are reduction in seedcotton yield and fruiting bolls. At present, not much information is known about salt-responsive genes in cotton. Thus, Laura Rodriguez-Uribe of the New Mexico State University and colleagues investigated the salt-responsive genes in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) which has been exposed to 200nM sodium chloride (NaCl). Gene profiling was done through microarray analysis and it was found out that only 25 out of 720 salt-responsive genes are actively expressed. Gene annotation also revealed that some of these genes are involved in known biological pathways associated with salt stress such as lipid metabolism, cell wall structure, and membrane synthesis. Further analysis of these genes could be used to develop varieties of cotton with better tolerance to high salinity.

For more information, read the research article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2010.10.009.