Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling

Sphingolipids are not only a pivotal component of membranes but also act as bioactive molecules. Cotton fiber is one of the longest plant cells and sphingolipids are closely associated with the development of cotton fiber cells. However, their function in cotton fiber cell development and its action...

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Main Authors: Qiaoling Wang, Xingying Yan, Qi Niu, Hongju Zhang, Huidan Tian, Zheng Chen, Fan Xu, Yu You, Yinghui Gao, Zhiqing Qiao, Ming Luo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-08-01
Series:Crop Journal
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214514125001588
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author Qiaoling Wang
Xingying Yan
Qi Niu
Hongju Zhang
Huidan Tian
Zheng Chen
Fan Xu
Yu You
Yinghui Gao
Zhiqing Qiao
Ming Luo
author_facet Qiaoling Wang
Xingying Yan
Qi Niu
Hongju Zhang
Huidan Tian
Zheng Chen
Fan Xu
Yu You
Yinghui Gao
Zhiqing Qiao
Ming Luo
author_sort Qiaoling Wang
collection DOAJ
description Sphingolipids are not only a pivotal component of membranes but also act as bioactive molecules. Cotton fiber is one of the longest plant cells and sphingolipids are closely associated with the development of cotton fiber cells. However, their function in cotton fiber cell development and its action mechanism is unclear. Through cotton genetic transformation and chemistry biological approach, we identified the function and action mechanism of the glucosylceramide synthase gene GhGCS1 and its product glucosylceramide (GluCer) in cotton fiber growth. GhGCS1 was preferentially expressed at the stage of fiber elongation and localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Overexpression of GhGCS1 promoted GluCer synthesis and fiber elongation, which was consistent with the exogenous application of GluCer (FA-C22) (containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid) to cotton fiber in ovule culture system in vitro. Contrarily, suppressing GhGCS1 expression inhibited GluCer synthesis and fiber elongation, which was similar as the exogenous application of GluCer synthesis inhibitor, PDMP. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the fiber elongation regulated by GhGCS1 was associated with brassinosteroid (BR) synthesis and signaling related gene expression. Meanwhile, we detected the BL content of control and transgenic fiber cells. The BL content significantly increased and decreased in up- and down-regulated transgenic fibers when compared with control fibers, respectively. Furthermore, we found that PDMP treatment blocked BR synthesis and signal transduction, while exogenous application of GluCer could enhance BR synthesis and signaling. Overall, our results revealed that GhGCS1 and GluCer regulated cotton fiber elongation by influencing BR synthesis and signaling. Our study shed a novel insight on regulatory mechanism of cotton fiber elongation and provides theoretical support, genetic resources and novel transgenic materials for improvement of crop quality.
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spelling doaj-art-368f7a3f15dd4f798312e18dca4d53c32025-08-22T04:56:37ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Crop Journal2214-51412025-08-011341081109210.1016/j.cj.2025.06.012Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signalingQiaoling Wang0Xingying Yan1Qi Niu2Hongju Zhang3Huidan Tian4Zheng Chen5Fan Xu6Yu You7Yinghui Gao8Zhiqing Qiao9Ming Luo10College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Corresponding author.Sphingolipids are not only a pivotal component of membranes but also act as bioactive molecules. Cotton fiber is one of the longest plant cells and sphingolipids are closely associated with the development of cotton fiber cells. However, their function in cotton fiber cell development and its action mechanism is unclear. Through cotton genetic transformation and chemistry biological approach, we identified the function and action mechanism of the glucosylceramide synthase gene GhGCS1 and its product glucosylceramide (GluCer) in cotton fiber growth. GhGCS1 was preferentially expressed at the stage of fiber elongation and localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Overexpression of GhGCS1 promoted GluCer synthesis and fiber elongation, which was consistent with the exogenous application of GluCer (FA-C22) (containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid) to cotton fiber in ovule culture system in vitro. Contrarily, suppressing GhGCS1 expression inhibited GluCer synthesis and fiber elongation, which was similar as the exogenous application of GluCer synthesis inhibitor, PDMP. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the fiber elongation regulated by GhGCS1 was associated with brassinosteroid (BR) synthesis and signaling related gene expression. Meanwhile, we detected the BL content of control and transgenic fiber cells. The BL content significantly increased and decreased in up- and down-regulated transgenic fibers when compared with control fibers, respectively. Furthermore, we found that PDMP treatment blocked BR synthesis and signal transduction, while exogenous application of GluCer could enhance BR synthesis and signaling. Overall, our results revealed that GhGCS1 and GluCer regulated cotton fiber elongation by influencing BR synthesis and signaling. Our study shed a novel insight on regulatory mechanism of cotton fiber elongation and provides theoretical support, genetic resources and novel transgenic materials for improvement of crop quality.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214514125001588GhGCS1SphingolipidsGluCerPDMPBrassinosteroids
spellingShingle Qiaoling Wang
Xingying Yan
Qi Niu
Hongju Zhang
Huidan Tian
Zheng Chen
Fan Xu
Yu You
Yinghui Gao
Zhiqing Qiao
Ming Luo
Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling
Crop Journal
GhGCS1
Sphingolipids
GluCer
PDMP
Brassinosteroids
title Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling
title_full Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling
title_fullStr Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling
title_full_unstemmed Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling
title_short Glucosylceramides containing very long-acyl-chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling
title_sort glucosylceramides containing very long acyl chain fatty acid are critical for cotton fiber elongation by influencing brassinosteroid synthesis and signaling
topic GhGCS1
Sphingolipids
GluCer
PDMP
Brassinosteroids
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214514125001588
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