Abstract: Verticillium wilt is a destructive disease that causes serious loss of cotton yield and quality. After the pathogen infects the host root tissue, it extends to leaf through stem tissue, so stem tissue plays an important role in host resistance to the pathogen. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) as an important regulatory molecule participates in a wide range of biological processes, such as plant disease resistance response, through a variety of mechanisms. This paper analyzed the functions of cotton stem tissue lncRNAs in response to pathogenic fungi. Here, the transcriptome of resistant G. hirsutum stem tissue following infection by Verticillium dahliae were measured, and 971 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified. Subsequently, the expression characteristics of Verticillium wilt resistance-associated lncRNAs and their regulation patterns on target mRNAs were analyzed. The results revealed that cotton stem tissue lncRNAs in response to V. dahliae infection exhibited a high degree of temporal specificity, and these lncRNAs regulated the expression of target mRNAs mainly through positive trans-acting pattern. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that differential expression lncRNAs participated significantly in response to stimuli and hormone signals induced by V. dahliae, such as chitin, water shortage and hypoxia stresses as well as JA and ABA hormones, through a variety of molecular functions in cell membranes, extracellular region and intracellular region. And, these results suggested that cotton stem tissue lncRNAs played important roles in response to infection by V. dahliae. Based on the results of this study and previous reports, the potential disease resistance mechanisms of 10 candidate lncRNAs were proposed, which had important reference significance for depth analysis of these lncRNA. The results of qPCR tests further revealed that lnc_011764 and lnc_010753 were potential regulators of their target genes. Our results  extended the current view on lncRNA defence against V.dahliae infection and provided novel insights into the mechanism of Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton.

Key words: cotton, lncRNA, Verticillium wilt, resistance

摘要： 黄萎病是造成棉花产量和品质损失最为严重的病害之一。病菌侵染根组织后，通过茎组织扩展至叶，茎组织在寄主抗病菌扩展中起重要作用。长链非编码RNA（lncRNA）作为一种重要的调控分子，通过多种机制参与植物抗病等众多生物过程，因此分析了棉花茎组织lncRNA的抗病功能。对黄萎病菌胁迫下抗病陆地棉茎组织进行转录组测序，鉴定出971条抗病相关lncRNA。进一步分析黄萎病抗性相关lncRNA的表达特征及其对靶mRNA的调控方式，结果表明，棉花茎组织lncRNA响应黄萎病菌侵染具有明显的时序性，并且主要通过反式作用正调控靶mRNA。GO富集分析揭示差异表达lncRNA在细胞膜、胞外和胞内，通过多种分子功能响应黄萎病菌诱导的几丁质、缺水、缺氧等刺激和JA、ABA等植物激素信号，表明棉花茎组织lncRNA在抵御黄萎病菌侵染过程中起重要作用。基于上述结果并结合已有报道，构建了10条抗病相关lncRNA潜在的抗病机制，对深度解析这些lncRNA的抗病机理提供了重要依据。qPCR检测结果进一步揭示了lnc_011764和lnc_010753对其靶基因具有潜在的调控作用。该结果扩展了对抗黄萎病相关lncRNA的认识，为棉花抗黄萎病机制研究提供了新见解。

关键词: 棉花, lncRNA, 黄萎病, 抗病