MPK homolog GhNTF6 was involved in cotton against Verticillium wilt by interacted with VdEPG1

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPKs) are important in regulating plant development and stress response. Rapid activation of MPKs in plants usually depends on its phosphorylated. In view of this situation, a phosphorylated GhNTF6 belonged to MPKs family was screened in cotton roots under Verticillium dahliae challenge by phosphoproteomics analysis. Expression of GhNTF6 in cotton plants was did not induce by V. dahliae infection, while, silencing GhNTF6 results to enhance cotton plants susceptibility to V. dahliae, overexpression - GhNTF6 enhance Arabidopsis plants survivability to V. dahliae. Moreover, the mutation of GhNTF6 at site Thr195 and Thy197 with the phosphorylation decreased the plant resistance to V. dahliae. Therefore, GhNTF6 phosphorylation is important in plants against V. dahliae. Further analysis demonstrated that GhNTF6 interacted with a V. dahliae endopolygalacturonase (VdEPG1) on the cell nucleus. We propose that GhNTF6 is a potential molecular target for improving resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton.