Genome-Wide Identification of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Gene Family in Gossypium Raimondii and the Function of Their Corresponding Orthologs in Tetraploid Cultivated Cotton

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play a crucial role in plant growth and development as well as biotic and abiotic stress responses. Knowledge about the MAPK gene family in cotton is limited, and systematic investigation of MAPK family proteins has not been reported. This study presents a comprehensive identification of 28 mitogen-activated protein kinase genes in G. raimondii. Their phylogenetic relationships, transcript expression patterns and responses to various stressors were verified. This study provides the first systematic analysis of MAPKs in cotton, improving our understanding of defense responses in general and laying the foundation for future crop improvement using MAPKs. The backmatter of the book contains a few articles concerning the merits of open access publishing.