ABSTRACT. Maize (Zea mays L.) is among the crops with the greatest worldwide economic importance. Ear height is a very important trait that is considered necessary in maize and is related to morphology, lodging, and yield. To realize its genetic basis, an F 9 recombinant inbred line population and a genetic map consisting of 101 simple sequence repeat markers were used to detect the quantitative trait locus (QTL) for ear height, and the result showed that one QTL on chromosome 1 was identified with a mapping interval of 5 cM to its linked marker Umc1358. The QTL from elite inbred line Mo17 could explain 9.55% of the phenotypic variance, and because of the additive effect, it could result in an ear height increase of 4.86 cm. This result was beneficial for understanding the genetic basis of ear height in maize.

ABSTRACT. Gene medicine is making breakthroughs in health questions that have baffled humanity for centuries. To understand and utilize gene medicine, it is necessary to realize its action against targets at the molecular level. Currently, many methods can be used to discover drug targets; among these, genomic and proteomic methods are the two most important. In this study, we introduced how to discover drug targets by genomic and proteomic methods in detail. These contents are beneficial for understanding and utilizing the two methods to discover new drug targets of gene medicine.

ABSTRACT. Maize (Zea mays L.) kernel width is one of the most important traits that is related to yield and appearance. To understand its genetic mechanisms more clearly, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) segregation population consisting of 239 RILs was used for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for kernel width. We found four QTLs on chromosomes 3 (one), 5 (two), and 10 (one). The QTLs were close to their adjacent markers, with a range of 0-23.8 cM, and explained 6.2-19.7% of the phenotypic variation. The three QTLs on chromosomes 3 and 5 had positive additive effects, and to a certain extent increased kernel width, whereas the one on chromosome 10 exhibited negative additive effects and decreased kernel 14497 QTL mapping for maize kernel width ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (4): 14496-14502 (2015) width. These results can be used for gene cloning and marker-assisted selection in maize-breeding programs.