Use of Arabidopsis to Test the Function of Cotton Orthologous Genes
Recent studies indicate that Arabidopsis cDNA are closely related to that of Gossypium species. Cotton seed-specific promoters work well in Arabidopsis and tobacco (Sunilkumar et al., 2002; Kim and Triplett, 2001). Reporter constructs using a G. hirsutum cellulose synthase promoter showed tissue-specific expression patterns identical to those of Arabidopsis cellulose synthases producing secondary cell wall (Doblin et al., 2001; Holland et al., 2000). Notably, over-expression of Antirrhinum MIXTA (a Myb gene) complements conical cell formation in tobacco leaves (Glover et al., 1998; Noda et al., 1994). Expression of cotton GaMYB2 in Arabidopsis by GL1::GaMYB2 complemented trichome development in the glabrous 1 mutant. Furthermore, over-expression of cotton GaMYB2 induced seed trichome formation in Arabidopsis (Wang et al. 2004). The first intron contained critical element for trichome specific expression (Wang et al. 2004).
