Cotton Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 192-201 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/cgg 192 Review Article Open Access Regulatory Mechanisms of Protein Post-translational Modifications in Cotton Fiber Elongation and Maturation Jinhua Cheng, Shanjun Zhu, Mengting Luo Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, China Corresponding email: mengting.luo@jicat.org Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.4 doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0019 Received: 03 Jun., 2025 Accepted: 14 Jul., 2025 Published: 02 Aug., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Cheng et al., 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: Cheng J.H., Zhu S.J., and Luo M.T., 2025, Regulatory mechanisms of protein post-translational modifications in cotton fiber elongation and maturation, Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 16(4): 192-201 (doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0019) Abstract Cotton (Gossypiumspp.) fiber is an important natural textile raw material. Its development process mainly includes four stages: initiation, elongation, secondary wall thickening and maturity, which are finely regulated by complex molecular networks. In recent years, protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), as an important mechanism for regulating plant cell activities, play a key role in the development of cotton fibers. This study systematically sorted out the regulatory functions of currently known PTMs types (such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation, methylation, etc.) in the process of fiber elongation and maturation, revealed its molecular mechanisms in signal transduction, cytoskeleton remodeling, cell wall synthesis, etc., summarized the key functional proteins closely related to PTMs and their regulatory pathways, and explored its application prospects in molecular breeding of high-quality cotton. This study provides new theoretical support and direction for improving fiber traits, and is expected to further promote the advancement of cotton molecular breeding technology and the upgrading of the cotton fiber industry. Keywords Cotton; Fiber development; Protein post-translational modification; Phosphorylation; Molecular regulatory mechanism 1 Introduction The development of cotton fiber is quite complex and goes through several different stages. It first grows, then slowly elongates, then the cell wall thickens, and finally matures. Each stage is different and affects the quality and yield of the fiber. Therefore, this process has become a special concern for agricultural production and the textile industry. In these processes, a change called "post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins" is very important. It is actually the cells that process them after they are synthesized. For example, small molecules such as phosphate, acetyl, methyl or palmitoyl are added. These modifications affect the function of proteins, and may also cause them to change their location in the cell or change the connection between them. In cotton, scientists have found that these PTMs regulate many key links. For example, they affect whether mRNA is stable and whether it will be translated. They can also change the structure of chromatin and make some enzymes or structural proteins involved in fiber growth more active or more stable. These effects are particularly important for whether cotton fibers can be smoothly elongated and finally mature (Liu et al., 2016; Tao et al., 2016; Imran et al., 2019; Singh et al., 2020; Xing et al., 2023; Silaiyiman et al., 2024). This study will comprehensively outline the regulatory mechanisms of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) in the elongation and maturation of cotton fibers, and combine the latest advances in transcriptomics, proteomics, and functional genomics to explore how specific post-translational modifications (PTMs) affect fiber development, focusing on key regulatory proteins and pathways, and discussing their significance for cotton breeding and fiber quality improvement. This study lays the foundation for the development of new strategies for regulating PTM pathways, in order to improve fiber properties through precision breeding and molecular design, and promote the cultivation of high-quality and high-value-added cotton varieties. 2 Developmental Stages of Cotton Fiber Cells 2.1 Initiation and differentiation of fiber cells Cotton fiber develops from a single cell on the seed epidermis, starting before or during flowering. This process is controlled by some important transcription factors, such as MYB25-like and HOX3. At the same time, plant
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