Abstract
The development of stomatal lineage cells in terrestrial plants is tightly regulated by epidermal patterning factors (EPFs/EPFLs) and their downstream receptors, including ERECTA, TOO MANY MOUTHS (TMM), and SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASEs (SERKs). These components form co-receptor complexes that activate the MAPK signaling cascade, playing critical roles in stomatal development, stress responses, and signal transduction. However, the EPF-ERECTA-TMM signaling network remains largely unexplored in cotton (Gossypium spp.). In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification and characterization of the EPF/EPFL, ERECTA, TMM, and SERK gene families in four cotton species (G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii), identifying 135 EPF/EPFL, 18 ERECTA, 6 TMM, and 90 SERK genes. Bioinformatics analyses-including gene collinearity, protein domain structure, cis-regulatory elements, and protein-protein interaction predictions-revealed functional divergence and stress-related regulatory potential across these families. Expression profiling in G. hirsutum indicated that several candidate genes, such as GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17, are responsive to abiotic stresses. To validate these computational predictions, functional assays were conducted. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17 led to increased stomatal density and reduced drought tolerance, confirming their roles in stress adaptation. Furthermore, luciferase complementation imaging in Nicotiana benthamiana demonstrated direct interactions between GhEPFL1-1 and GhER1, and co-receptor complex formation with GhSERK17, consistent with molecular docking simulations. Collectively, this study lays a theoretical foundation for further exploration of the EPF/EPFL-mediated peptide-receptor signaling pathway in cotton and its potential application in breeding for stress resilience.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Four cotton species contained 135 identified EPF/EPFL genes.
- Taxon
- cotton
Gossypium hirsutume0 - Gene
- EPF/EPFLe0
- Outcome
- identifying 135 EPF/EPFLe0
- Value
- 135e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“four cotton species (G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii), identifying 135 EPF/EPFL, 18 ERECTA, 6 TMM, and 90 SERK genes”
Claim · model-written summary
Four cotton species contained 18 identified ERECTA genes.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutume0
- Gene
- ERECTAe0
- Outcome
- 18 ERECTAe0
- Value
- 18e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“four cotton species (G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii), identifying 135 EPF/EPFL, 18 ERECTA, 6 TMM, and 90 SERK genes”
Claim · model-written summary
Four cotton species contained 6 identified TMM genes.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutume0
- Gene
- TMMe0
- Outcome
- 6 TMMe0
- Value
- 6e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“four cotton species (G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii), identifying 135 EPF/EPFL, 18 ERECTA, 6 TMM, and 90 SERK genes”
Claim · model-written summary
Four cotton species contained 90 identified SERK genes.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutume0
- Gene
- SERKe0
- Outcome
- 90 SERK genese0
- Value
- 90e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“four cotton species (G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii), identifying 135 EPF/EPFL, 18 ERECTA, 6 TMM, and 90 SERK genes”
Claim · model-written summary
Bioinformatic analysis indicated functional divergence and stress-related regulatory potential among these cotton gene families.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Outcome
- functional divergence and stress-related regulatory potentiale0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Bioinformatics analyses-including gene collinearity, protein domain structure, cis-regulatory elements, and protein-protein interaction predictions-revealed functional divergence and stress-related regulatory potential across these families”
t0“cotton EPF/EPFL receptors”
Claim · model-written summary
GhEPFL1-1, GhER1 and GhSERK17 expression responded to abiotic stress in G. hirsutum.
- Taxon
- G. hirsutumGossypium hirsutume0
- Gene
- GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17e0
- Outcome
- responsive to abiotic stressese0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Expression profiling in G. hirsutum indicated that several candidate genes, such as GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17, are responsive to abiotic stresses”
Claim · model-written summary
Silencing GhEPFL1-1 increased stomatal density.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1e0
- Gene
- GhEPFL1-1e0
- Outcome
- stomatal densitye0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17 led to increased stomatal density and reduced drought tolerance”
t0“cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
Silencing GhER1 increased stomatal density.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- GhER1e0
- Gene
- GhER1e0
- Outcome
- stomatal densitye0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17 led to increased stomatal density and reduced drought tolerance”
t0“cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
Silencing GhSERK17 increased stomatal density.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- GhSERK17e0
- Gene
- GhSERK17e0
- Outcome
- stomatal densitye0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17 led to increased stomatal density and reduced drought tolerance”
t0“cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
Silencing GhEPFL1-1 reduced drought tolerance.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- GhEPFL1-1e0
- Gene
- GhEPFL1-1e0
- Outcome
- drought tolerancee0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17 led to increased stomatal density and reduced drought tolerance”
t0“cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
Silencing GhER1 reduced drought tolerance.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- GhER1e0
- Gene
- GhER1e0
- Outcome
- drought tolerancee0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17 led to increased stomatal density and reduced drought tolerance”
t0“cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
Silencing GhSERK17 reduced drought tolerance.
- Taxon
- cottonGossypium hirsutumt0
- Treatment
- GhSERK17e0
- Gene
- GhSERK17e0
- Outcome
- drought tolerancee0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhEPFL1-1, GhER1, and GhSERK17 led to increased stomatal density and reduced drought tolerance”
t0“cotton”
Claim · model-written summary
GhEPFL1-1 directly interacted with GhER1 in Nicotiana benthamiana.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamiana
Nicotiana benthamianae0 - Gene
- GhEPFL1-1 and GhER1e0
- Outcome
- direct interactionse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“luciferase complementation imaging in Nicotiana benthamiana demonstrated direct interactions between GhEPFL1-1 and GhER1”
Claim · model-written summary
GhSERK17 formed a co-receptor complex with GhEPFL1-1 and GhER1 in Nicotiana benthamiana.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae0
- Gene
- GhSERK17e0
- Outcome
- co-receptor complex formatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“luciferase complementation imaging in Nicotiana benthamiana demonstrated direct interactions between GhEPFL1-1 and GhER1, and co-receptor complex formation with GhSERK17”
The same questions in other papers
loss of function · physiology: gas exchange · Gossypium hirsutum (cotton)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- negative
- negative
- negative
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.