Differential metabolic and rapd expression during early fibre development in normal and its lintless mutant of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

A comparative analysis of a cotton cv. MCU 5 and its fibreless mutant was made to have a better understanding of the biochemical and thereby the molecular processes associated in fiber initiation process. Biochemical analysis of the lintless mutant ovules revealed that there was a marked reduction in the synthesis of reducing sugars, total free amino acids and total soluble protein content, while there was no effect on the proline and phenol content of ovules from 0 to 5 DPA. Genomic DNA extracted from 5 day old ovules was utilized for the RAPD analysis using 20 synthetic primers. Two primers were found non-polymorphic with extra bands. The primer sequence - 3’ GAGAGGCTCC 5’ showed 66% polymorphism with two extra bands at 2040 (±10) bp and 630 (±10) bp, and the primer sequence 3’ TCCGTGCTGA 5’ showed 85% polymorphism with one extra band at 1160 (±10) bp in MCU 5, which might be involved in the fiber initiation processes.