Identification of molecular basis of CLCuV resistance in cotton

Functional Genomics

poster

Qaisar, Uzma; Husnain, Tayyab

Qaisar, Uzma

Qaisar, Uzma

Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCuV) disease is one of the major diseases playing havoc with the cotton yield globally and especially in Pakistan. The DNA virus causing this disease is transmitted by white fly which serves as a carrier and spreads the virus from one plant to another. The virus enters the cotton leaf vascular bundle by white fly bite and multiplies in the plant vascular sap resulting in the curling of leaves, stunted growth and ultimately low yield. Gossypium hirsutum which is largely cultivated in Pakistan is susceptible to CLCuV while the old world diploid cotton, G. arboreum is more resistant to this virus but unfortunately produces lower quality fibers. In CEMB, we have produced a mutant of G. arboreum which is susceptible to this virus. Moreover, we have access to CLCuV resistant, G. hirsutum Mac7 USA gerplasm and the susceptible cultivars of G. hirsutum. These resistant and susceptible cultivars of diploid and tetra-ploid cotton could be very useful in investigating the molecular basis of CLCuV resistance. We are using comparative global transcriptional profiling of resistant and sensitive cultivars to find the molecular basis of resistance. For this purpose inoculation of CLCuV resistant and sensitive cultivars of cotton would be done by traditional vector based method and RNA would be isolated after the symptoms appear. To avoid variability and for consistency of the results, at least 5 biological replicates of each cultivar would be used in this study. cDNA synthesis and labeling of samples with Cy3 and Cy5 florescent dyes will be done followed by hybridization of samples on custom designed microarray chips. Comparative transcriptional profiling of sensitive and resistant varieties and their response to inoculation with CLCuV would be very helpful in identification of key regulators of CLCuV resistance. Transformation of key regulators (genes) in Gossypium hirsutum to produce CLCuV resistant cotton will be the future outcome of this project.