Cotton Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 184-191 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/cgg 184 Research Insight Open Access Study on Innate Immunity of Cotton to Biological Stress Based on Transcriptome Analysis ZhenLi Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China Corresponding email: zhen.li@hibio.org Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.4 doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0018 Received: 12 May, 2025 Accepted: 23 Jun., 2025 Published: 15 Jul., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li Z., 2025, Study on innate immunity of cotton to biological stress based on transcriptome analysis, Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 16(4): 184-191 (doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0018) Abstract Cotton (Gossypium spp.), as an important economic crop in the world, is often affected by biotic stresses such as pathogenic fungi, bacteria and pests, resulting in reduced yield and quality. Exploring its natural immune response mechanism is of great significance for improving disease and insect resistance and ensuring agricultural production safety. Based on transcriptome data, this study systematically analyzed the changes in gene expression of cotton when it was subjected to biotic stress, screened out key genes and signaling pathways closely related to defense response, including pathogen-related proteins (PRs), defensins, hormone regulatory factors, etc., and deeply explored the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of two types of immune responses, PTI (PAMP-triggered immunity) and ETI (effector-triggered immunity). The relevant immune regulatory network was further constructed, and several resistance candidate genes with application potential were screened. This study provides a molecular basis for a deeper understanding of the natural immune mechanism of cotton, and provides theoretical references and gene resources for the breeding of highly resistant cotton varieties, hoping to promote the development of green prevention and control of cotton pests and diseases and molecular breeding. Keywords Cotton; Biotic stress; Natural immunity; Transcriptome analysis; Resistance gene 1 Introduction Biological stress, especially pathogens such as Verticillium dahliae, can seriously affect cotton yield and reduce fiber quality. Verticillium wilt is the most severe disease. Not only does it cause great economic losses, but most cotton varieties are not resistant to the disease, which is a headache for many growers (Xu et al., 2014; Wu et al., 2021). Recent studies have found that cotton's immune system is actually very complex. When it is attacked by pathogens, it quickly produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body, activates hormone signaling pathways such as salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, and also activates some defense genes and secondary metabolic pathways (Xu et al., 2014; Li et al., 2016, 2019; Chang et al., 2023). Through transcriptome analysis, researchers have found several key genes and regulatory proteins, such as WRKY transcription factors, calcium-dependent protein kinases, and antimicrobial proteins. These factors play an important role in the recognition of pathogens and the transmission of immune signals (Zhang et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2021; Xiao et al., 2023; Liu et al., 2024). However, the molecular mechanisms behind these responses are not yet fully understood, and there are relatively few disease resistance gene resources available, especially in commercial cotton varieties (Zhu et al., 2023). This study used a transcriptome analysis system to explore the innate immune response of cotton to biotic stress, reviewed the effects of biotic stress, summarized the current knowledge about cotton innate immunity, and then proposed new transcriptomic insights, emphasizing their significance for future breeding and disease management strategies. This study identified and characterized key genes and pathways related to disease resistance, thereby comprehensively understanding the defense mechanism of cotton, hoping to provide valuable molecular targets for breeding disease-resistant cotton varieties, and ultimately help improve crop stress resistance and sustainable cotton production.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==