Enhanced resistance to Verticillium dahliae mediated by an F-box protein GhACIF1 from Gossypium hirsutum

Abstract Avr9/Cf-9-INDUCED F-BOX1 ( ACIF1 ) was first identified during screening of Avr9/Cf-9-elicited genes in tobacco. Further analysis revealed that ACIF1 was required for hypersensitive responses triggered by various elicitors in tobacco and tomato, indicating that it may be involved in various disease resistance. Here, we cloned its cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum ) homolog GhACIF1 , which encodes an F-box protein. We show that GhACIF1 interacts with the putative SKP1-like protein, named GhSKP1. Disease resistance assays show that GhACIF1 enhances resistance to Verticillium dahliae in Arabidopsis plants, while silencing of GhACIF1 confers sensitivity to V. dahliae in cotton. Further analysis show that PevD1 elicitor activates hypersensitive and acquired immune response mediated by GhACIF1 . Collectively, these results indicate that GhACIF1 contributes to protection against V. dahliae infection.