DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic modification mechanism in higher plants that affects several biological processes by regulating gene expression without alteration in DNA sequence. Although, gene expression of cotton cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) line H276A has been conducted but its regulation mechanism of gene expression is unknown. Therefore, a bisulfite sequencing (BS-Seq) technology was utilized to evaluate genome wide relative study of DNA methylation of the cotton CMS line H276A and its maintainer line H276B. Data showed that 1498 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) and 5762 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were observed between two samples, respectively. The KEGG pathway analysis exhibited that 139 DMGs were highly enriched in eight pathways, i.e. starch and sucrose metabolism, ABC transporters and oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, 74 DMGs were identified as encoding transcription factors (TFs). Eight DMGs were randomly selected to confirm the correlation between DNA methylation and gene expression using qRT-PCR. Results indicated that 6 of 8 DMGs showed a negative relationship between gene expression and DNA methylation. Twelve key DMGs, which involved in carbohydrate and energy metabolism, TFs and male gametophyte development, potentially related to cotton CMS were also identified. These data will provide better understanding of DNA methylation alteration and their potential roles in cotton CMS.

DNA甲基化是高等植物中保守的表观遗传修饰机制，它通过调节基因表达而不改变DNA序列来影响几种生物学过程。尽管已经进行了棉花细胞质雄性不育（CMS）品系H276A的基因表达，但是其基因表达的调控机制尚不清楚。因此，亚硫酸氢盐测序（BS-Seq）技术用于评估棉花CMS系H276A及其保持系H276B的DNA甲基化的全基因组相对研究。数据显示在两个样品之间分别观察到1498个差异甲基化基因（DMG）和5762个差异甲基化区域（DMR）。KEGG通路分析显示139种DMG在淀粉和蔗糖代谢的八种通路中高度富集，ABC转运蛋白和氧化磷酸化。此外，确定了74个DMG作为编码转录因子（TF）。使用qRT-PCR随机选择8个DMG，以确认DNA甲基化与基因表达之间的相关性。结果表明，8种DMG中有6种在基因表达和DNA甲基化之间呈负相关。还鉴定了十二种主要的DMG，涉及碳水化合物和能量代谢，TF和雄配子体发育，可能与棉花CMS有关。这些数据将提供对DNA甲基化改变及其在棉花CMS中潜在作用的更好理解。结果表明，8种DMG中有6种在基因表达和DNA甲基化之间呈负相关。还鉴定了十二种主要的DMG，涉及碳水化合物和能量代谢，TF和雄配子体发育，可能与棉花CMS有关。这些数据将提供对DNA甲基化改变及其在棉花CMS中潜在作用的更好理解。结果表明，8个DMG中有6个在基因表达和DNA甲基化之间呈负相关。还鉴定了十二种主要的DMG，涉及碳水化合物和能量代谢，TF和雄配子体发育，可能与棉花CMS有关。这些数据将提供对DNA甲基化改变及其在棉花CMS中潜在作用的更好理解。