Xiaojing Yang , Yuxin Zhu

Modern Agriculture Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 6   doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0029
Received: 17 Oct., 2025    Accepted: 27 Nov., 2025    Published: 16 Dec., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Yang X.J., and Zhu Y.X., 2025, Spatial transcriptomics of cotton fibers during elongation stage, Cotton Genomics and Genetics, 16(6): 290-299 (doi: 10.5376/cgg.2025.16.0029)

Cotton fiber development plays a vital role in the global textile economy, and the elongation stage is crucial in determining fiber length and quality. In this study, we employed spatial transcriptomics to uncover the spatial organization of gene expression during the elongation phase of Gossypium hirsutum fibers. By integrating spatial barcoding and high-resolution transcriptomic mapping, we localized fiber-specific gene expression domains and identified elongation-zone-enriched transcripts. Our analysis revealed expression gradients of GhEXPA1, GhRDL1, and GhMYB25-like along fiber tips, highlighting region-specific transcriptional modules associated with cell wall remodeling, ROS scavenging, and energy metabolism. These findings provide functional insights into the spatial coordination of molecular pathways underlying fiber elongation. This study not only demonstrates the power of spatial transcriptomics in dissecting complex developmental processes but also lays a foundation for future applications in targeted breeding, genome editing, and molecular improvement of cotton fiber quality.

Cotton fiber elongation; Spatial transcriptomics; Gene expression mapping; Gossypium hirsutum; Fiber development