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Peng X, Wang Q, Wang Y, Cheng B, Zhao Y, Zhu S. A maize NAC transcription factor, ZmNAC34, negatively regulates starch synthesis in rice. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2019; 38:1473-1484. [PMID: 31440809 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-019-02458-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
ZmNAC34 might function as an important regulator of starch synthesis by decreasing total starch accumulation and soluble sugar content and increasing amylose fractions. Starch is a major component in endosperm and directly influences seed yield and the cooking quality of cereal grains. Starch is synthesized through a series of complex biological processes. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which starch biosynthesis is regulated in maize is still unclear. In this study, ZmNAC34, a NAC transcription factor related to starch synthesis, was screened based on transcriptome sequencing data. Subsequent qRT-PCR analysis showed that ZmNAC34 is specifically expressed in maize endosperm. Transactivation and subcellular localization assays revealed that ZmNAC34 possesses two characteristics of transcription factors: nuclear localization and transactivation activity. Overexpression of ZmNAC34 in rice decreased total starch accumulation and soluble sugar content, while increased amylose fractions. Meanwhile, the transgenic seeds exhibited alterant starch structure and abnormal morphology. In addition, compared with WT seeds, most of the 17 starch biosynthesis-related genes were significantly upregulated in transgenic seeds from 6 to 15 DAP (day after pollination). These data reveal that ZmNAC34 might function as an important regulator of starch synthesis, thus providing a new perspective on controlling seed yield and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojian Peng
- National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Institute of Horticulture of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, 230016, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
| | - Beijiu Cheng
- National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China
| | - Suwen Zhu
- National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People's Republic of China.
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Wang Q, Xue X, Li Y, Dong Y, Zhang L, Zhou Q, Deng F, Ma Z, Qiao D, Hu C, Ren Y. A maize ADP-ribosylation factor ZmArf2 increases organ and seed size by promoting cell expansion in Arabidopsis. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2016; 156:97-107. [PMID: 26096810 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 05/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) are small GTP-binding proteins that regulate a wide variety of cell functions. Previously, we isolated a new ARF, ZmArf2, from maize (Zea mays). Sequence and expression characteristics indicated that ZmArf2 might play a critical role in the early stages of endosperm development. In this study, we investigated ZmArf2 function by analysis of its GTP-binding activity and subcellular localization. We also over-expressed ZmArf2 in Arabidopsis and measured organ and cell size and counted cell numbers. The expression levels of five organ size-associated genes were also determined in 35S::ZmArf2 transgenic and wild-type plants. Results showed that the recombinant ZmArf2 protein purified from Escherichia coli exhibited GTP-binding activity. Subcellular localization revealed that ZmArf2 was localized in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane. ZmArf2 over-expression in Arabidopsis showed that 35S::ZmArf2 transgenic plants were taller and had larger leaves and seeds compared to wild-type plants, which resulted from cell expansions, not an increase in cell numbers. In addition, three cell expansion-related genes, AtEXP3, AtEXP5 and AtEXP10, were upregulated in 35S::ZmArf2 transgenic lines, while the expression levels of AtGIF1 and AtGRF5, were unchanged. Collectively, our studies suggest that ZmArf2 has an active GTP-binding function, and plays a crucial role in growth and development in Arabidopsis through cell expansion mediated by cell expansion genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilei Wang
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaojing Xue
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuling Li
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yongbin Dong
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Long Zhang
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiang Zhou
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fei Deng
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhiyan Ma
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dahe Qiao
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chunhui Hu
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yangliu Ren
- College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou, China
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Dong Y, Wang Q, Zhang L, Du C, Xiong W, Chen X, Deng F, Ma Z, Qiao D, Hu C, Ren Y, Li Y. Dynamic Proteomic Characteristics and Network Integration Revealing Key Proteins for Two Kernel Tissue Developments in Popcorn. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0143181. [PMID: 26587848 PMCID: PMC4654522 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0143181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation and development of maize kernel is a complex dynamic physiological and biochemical process that involves the temporal and spatial expression of many proteins and the regulation of metabolic pathways. In this study, the protein profiles of the endosperm and pericarp at three important developmental stages were analyzed by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) labeling coupled with LC-MS/MS in popcorn inbred N04. Comparative quantitative proteomic analyses among developmental stages and between tissues were performed, and the protein networks were integrated. A total of 6,876 proteins were identified, of which 1,396 were nonredundant. Specific proteins and different expression patterns were observed across developmental stages and tissues. The functional annotation of the identified proteins revealed the importance of metabolic and cellular processes, and binding and catalytic activities for the development of the tissues. The whole, endosperm-specific and pericarp-specific protein networks integrated 125, 9 and 77 proteins, respectively, which were involved in 54 KEGG pathways and reflected their complex metabolic interactions. Confirmation for the iTRAQ endosperm proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that 44.44% proteins were commonly found. However, the concordance between mRNA level and the protein abundance varied across different proteins, stages, tissues and inbred lines, according to the gene cloning and expression analyses of four relevant proteins with important functions and different expression levels. But the result by western blot showed their same expression tendency for the four proteins as by iTRAQ. These results could provide new insights into the developmental mechanisms of endosperm and pericarp, and grain formation in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbin Dong
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qilei Wang
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Long Zhang
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chunguang Du
- Deptment of Biology and Molecular Biology, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, United States of America
| | - Wenwei Xiong
- Deptment of Biology and Molecular Biology, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, United States of America
| | - Xinjian Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Fei Deng
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhiyan Ma
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dahe Qiao
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chunhui Hu
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yangliu Ren
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuling Li
- College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops, National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, 63 Nongye Rd, Zhengzhou, China
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Thiemann A, Fu J, Seifert F, Grant-Downton RT, Schrag TA, Pospisil H, Frisch M, Melchinger AE, Scholten S. Genome-wide meta-analysis of maize heterosis reveals the potential role of additive gene expression at pericentromeric loci. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2014; 14:88. [PMID: 24693880 PMCID: PMC4234143 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-14-88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of QTL involved in heterosis formation is one approach to unravel the not yet fully understood genetic basis of heterosis - the improved agronomic performance of hybrid F1 plants compared to their inbred parents. The identification of candidate genes underlying a QTL is important both for developing markers and determining the molecular genetic basis of a trait, but remains difficult owing to the large number of genes often contained within individual QTL. To address this problem in heterosis analysis, we applied a meta-analysis strategy for grain yield (GY) of Zea mays L. as example, incorporating QTL-, hybrid field-, and parental gene expression data. RESULTS For the identification of genes underlying known heterotic QTL, we made use of tight associations between gene expression pattern and the trait of interest, identified by correlation analyses. Using this approach genes strongly associated with heterosis for GY were discovered to be clustered in pericentromeric regions of the complex maize genome. This suggests that expression differences of sequences in recombination-suppressed regions are important in the establishment of heterosis for GY in F1 hybrids and also in the conservation of heterosis for GY across genotypes. Importantly functional analysis of heterosis-associated genes from these genomic regions revealed over-representation of a number of functional classes, identifying key processes contributing to heterosis for GY. Based on the finding that the majority of the analyzed heterosis-associated genes were addtitively expressed, we propose a model referring to the influence of cis-regulatory variation on heterosis for GY by the compensation of fixed detrimental expression levels in parents. CONCLUSIONS The study highlights the utility of a meta-analysis approach that integrates phenotypic and multi-level molecular data to unravel complex traits in plants. It provides prospects for the identification of genes relevant for QTL, and also suggests a model for the potential role of additive expression in the formation and conservation of heterosis for GY via dominant, multigenic quantitative trait loci. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the multifactorial phenomenon of heterosis, and thus to the breeding of new high yielding varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Thiemann
- Biocenter Klein Flottbek, Developmental Biology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg 22609, Germany
| | - Junjie Fu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China
| | - Felix Seifert
- Biocenter Klein Flottbek, Developmental Biology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg 22609, Germany
| | | | - Tobias A Schrag
- Institute for Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, Applied Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart 70599, Germany
| | - Heike Pospisil
- Department of Bioinformatics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau 15745, Germany
| | - Matthias Frisch
- Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding II, Biometry and Population Genetics, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Albrecht E Melchinger
- Institute for Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, Applied Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart 70599, Germany
| | - Stefan Scholten
- Biocenter Klein Flottbek, Developmental Biology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg 22609, Germany
- Institute for Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart 70599, Germany
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Wu K, Wang J, Kong Z, Ma ZQ. Characterization of a single recessive yield trait mutant with elevated endogenous ABA concentration and deformed grains, spikelets and leaves. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2011; 180:306-312. [PMID: 21421375 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2010] [Accepted: 10/01/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The characterization of yield trait mutants is important for understanding the regulation of grain yield formation in staple food crops. Meh0239 is a yield trait-related mutant identified from a mutant library of the common wheat cultivar Wangshuibai created by ethylmethyl sulfide (EMS) treatment of dry seeds. To shed some light on the nature of this mutation, it was investigated morphologically, physiologically, anatomically and genetically. The mutant plant showed obvious phenotypic differences in comparison with the wild type, starting at the seedling stage, including reduced plant height, wider and shorter leaves, shortened spikes, spikelets and grains and a more compact spikelet distribution. Also, seeds produced in the mutant germinated more slowly. Meh0239 contained a significantly higher level of abscisic acid (ABA) but lower levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and zeatin riboside (ZR) in flag leaves. Cells of all types in the leaf epidermis appeared shorter along the axial direction. The bulliform cells and long cells on the adaxial leaf surface were abnormal in shape. A genetic analysis using two F₂ segregating populations indicated that a single recessive mutation in wheat chromosome 7DS, about 3.1cM distal from Xwmc506, caused these variations. Because of the pleiotropic nature of this gene and its relation with yield trait formation, we named it Yt1 for yield trait related 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wu
- Applied Plant Genomics Laboratory, Crop Genomics and Bioinformatics Center and National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Jiangsu 210095, China.
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