A research team uncovered a key defensive mechanism in cotton plants against Verticillium dahliae, a destructive fungal pathogen responsible for cotton wilt.
The study focuses on GhEG45, a plant natriuretic peptide (PNP)-like gene, showing that its overexpression significantly enhances cotton’s resistance to infection. Plants engineered to express GhEG45 exhibited higher salicylic acid (SA)-related gene activation, elevated antioxidant enzyme activities, and improved cell wall strength, resulting in reduced fungal colonization.
Conversely, silencing GhEG45 through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) increased cotton susceptibility, leading to higher fungal biomass, impaired SA signaling, and disrupted reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation. Transcriptomic analyses confirmed that GhEG45 activates multiple defense pathways, including MAPK signaling, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and hormone-regulated immune networks.
The findings demonstrate that GhEG45 orchestrates a multi-layered defense system, balancing ROS detoxification, SA signaling, and cell-wall fortification to suppress infection. By revealing the gene’s central role in plant immunity, this work opens avenues for genetic breeding of Verticillium-resistant cotton varieties, contributing to sustainable cotton production and improved crop resilience.
Reference
Gao, L., Hu, M., Yan, X., Liu, Y., & Hou, Y. (2025). A plant natriuretic peptide GhEG45 plays a significant role in regulating resistance to Verticillium dahliae. Journal of Cotton Research, 8(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42397-025-00240-2
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