Characterization and expression of plasma and tonoplast membrane aquaporins in elongating cotton fibers

Cotton fiber (Gossypium hirsutum L. and G. barbadense L.) is a good model for studies of plant cell elongation and cell wall biogenesis. Aquaporins are ancient membrane channel proteins that facilitate the permeation of water across biological membranes. We studied GhPIP1-2, encoding plasma membrane intrinsic protein, and GhgammaTIP1, encoding tonoplast intrinsic protein, during cotton fiber development. The full-length cDNAs of GhPIP1-2 and GhgammaTIP1 were obtained through 5' RACE. The deduced amino acid sequences of GhPIP1-2 and GhgammaTIP1 share high sequence identity with aquaporins from diverse plant species. Phylogenetic analysis of GhPIP1-2 and GhgammaTIP1 with other plant aquaporins showed that GhPIP1-2 belongs to the PIP1 group of the PIP subfamily and GhgammaTIP1 belongs to the gammaTIP group of the TIP subfamily. GhPIP1-2 and GhgammaTIP1 contain three and two introns, respectively. Genomic Southern blot analysis indicated that GhPIP1-2 and GhgammaTIP1 have several copies and multiple homologous genes in allotetraploid cotton. Northern blot analysis with gene-specific probes and real-time PCR demonstrated that GhPIP1-2 and GhgammaTIP1 are predominantly expressed during cotton fiber elongation, with the highest expression levels at 5 days post-anthesis. Moreover, expression patterns of the two genes in G. hirsutum and G. barbadense are similar, whereas the expression levels in G. barbadense are much lower than that in G. hirsutum. The high and preferential expression of GhPIP1-2 and GhgammaTIP1 during fiber cell elongation suggests that they may play important roles in supporting the rapid influx of water into vacuoles during cotton fiber cell expansion.