GhMYB102 promotes Verticillium wilt resistance likely through modulation of lignin biosynthesis

This work identifies GhMYB102 as an R2R3-MYB transcription factor positively regulating cotton resistance to Verticillium dahlia likely by promoting lignin biosynthesis, offering a promising gene resource for breeding Verticillium wilt-resistant cotton varieties. Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is a devastating vascular disease of cotton that leads to significant yield losses worldwide. Therefore, identifying genes that confer resistance to Verticillium wilt and incorporating them into breeding programs are essential for sustainable cotton production. In this study, promoter cis-element analysis, V. dahliae inoculation, hormone treatments, and qRT-PCR were used to identify R2R3-MYB transcription factors responsive to V. dahliae infection in Gossypium hirsutum. Among these candidates, GhMYB102 was strongly induced by V. dahliae. Silencing of GhMYB102 by virus-induced gene silencing in G. hirsutum resulted in significantly increased disease symptoms and wilting rate following V. dahliae infection compared with control plants. In contrast, overexpression of GhMYB102 in both Arabidopsis and G. hirsutum enhanced resistance to Verticillium wilt. These results indicate that GhMYB102 acts as a positive regulator of resistance to Verticillium wilt. Further analyses, including lignin histochemical staining and expression profiling of lignin biosynthesis-related genes, revealed that GhMYB102 increases lignin accumulation in stems of G. hirsutum. Collectively, these findings suggest that GhMYB102 enhances Verticillium wilt resistance in G. hirsutum likely through modulating lignin biosynthesis. This study provides valuable gene resources for breeding Verticillium wilt-resistant cotton cultivars.