Functional characterization of the Arabidopsis actin 2 promoter in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) flowers and bolls

Efforts have been made to engineer cotton to achieve resistance to the boll weevil, which is one of the most important pests impacting cotton production in the Americas. The insects feed on flowers and immature cotton bolls. Strategies for expressing insecticide proteins must be associated with a strong expression in these tissues. The expression of the gus gene driven by the ACT2 promoter from Arabidopsis thaliana was compared to the 35SCaMV promoter in leaves, roots, petals and fiber of transgenic cotton plants. Fluorometric and histochemical analyses have shown that the ACT2 promoter produced a strong expression in floral and boll tissues, including pollen, petals, ovules and fiber. It revealed the potential of using the ACT2 promoter to express genes involved with boll weevil resistance.