RNA-seq of Cotton Pollen Grains under Heat Stress

The objectives of this study were to (1) gain insights into the dynamic changes of whole transcriptome in cotton pollen grains under heat stress, and (2) open a new door for further unlocking complex regulatory mechanisms underpinning the fertility restoration stability for CMS-D2 cotton. Our results provide valuable information for further elucidating the potential regulatory mechanism of the negative effects of sterile cytoplasm on the pollen development of CMS-D2 restorers or hybrids, and the obtained epigenetic resources here will help accelerate the breeding of heat-tolerant cotton restorer lines by improving the male fertility stability through epigenetic engineering methods, so as to increase the yield of "three-line" hybrids to cope with the current and future global warming situation.