Work

GhSPDS11 up-regulated spermidine synthase responding to alkaline tolerance in cotton

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Alkaline stress significantly hampers plant growth and diminishes crop yield. Spermidine (Spd), an essential polyamine in plants, plays a critical role in enhancing resistance to various abiotic stresses. Spermidine synthase (SPDS), essential for spermidine synthesis, regulates polyamine metabolism and is vital for cellular homeostasis, cell growth, proliferation, and stress tolerance. In this study, a systematic comparative analysis of SPDS-associated genes was performed across four representative cotton cultivars (Gossypium spp.), followed by preliminary functional characterization through promoter cis-acting element profiling. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) was utilized to investigate the role of endogenous spermidine biosynthesis in enhancing alkali stress tolerance in cotton seedlings. Our findings showed that cotton seedlings with silenced GhSPDS11 had notably reduced Spd content, relative water content and biomass compared to the control group. Seedlings with silenced GhSPDS11, when subjected to alkaline stress, exhibited a significant reduction in antioxidant enzyme activity, proline, and soluble sugar content, and an increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels relative to the control. The data shows that Spd is important for plant growth and strengthens cotton's defense against alkaline stress by alleviating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and keeping osmotic balance.

Source: Plant Stress

DOI: 10.1016/j.stress.2025.100988