Identification of ZmNF-YC2 and its regulatory network for maize flowering time

et al. 2022

BMC Plant Biol

Background Flowering time is an important agronomic trait of crops and significantly affects plant adaptation and seed production. Flowering time varies greatly among maize (Zea mays) inbred lines, but the genetic basis of this variation is not well understood. Here, we report the comprehensive genetic architecture of six flowering time-related traits using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population obtained from a cross between two maize genotypes, B73 and Abe2, and combined with genome-wide association studies to identify candidate genes that affect flowering time. Results Our results indicate that these six traits showed extensive phenotypic variation and high heritability in the RIL population. The flowering time of this RIL population showed little correlation with the leaf number under different environmental conditions. A genetic linkage map was constructed by 10,114 polymorphic markers covering the whole maize genome, which was applied to QTL mapping for these traits, and identified a total of 82 QTLs that contain 13 flowering genes. Furthermore, a combined genome-wide association study and linkage mapping analysis revealed 17 new candidate genes associated with flowering time. Conclusions In the present study, by using genetic mapping and GWAS approaches with the RIL population, we revealed a list of genomic regions and candidate genes that were significantly associated with flowering time. This work provides an important resource for the breeding of flowering time traits in maize.

Section: Abbreviationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linkage mapping combined with GWAS revealed the genetic structural relationship and candidate genes of maize flowering time-related traits

Shi

et al. 2022

BMC Plant Biol

“…Hence, controlling appropriate the flowering time is a major goal of breeders in developing elite varieties with better adaptations to local environmental conditions and climatic changes [ 45 , 46 ]. Flowering time is a quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes, and an increasing number of key genes from nuclear factor-Y and the CCT transcription factor family have been identified in maize [ 47 , 48 ]; they are the ideal target genes for CRISPR-Cas technology to create maize germplasm suitable for different ecological regions. At least 17 patents (accounting for 13.82% of the total) have reported new maize materials with improved flowering times, created by editing key genes that control the maize flowering time, including ZmFKF1, ZmGA20ox3, ZmDTX3.1, ZmPHYC1/2, and several CCT transcription factor genes (ZmCCT10, GRMZM2G044126, GRMZM5G878561, GRMZM2G331652, GRMZM2G068943, and GRMZM2G172297) [ 49 ] ( Supplementary Table S1 ).…”

Section: Effective and Precise Improvement Of Agronomic Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the Utilization and Prospects of CRISPR-Cas Technology in the Annotation of Gene Function and Creation New Germplasm in Maize Based on Patent Data

Tang

Kang

et al. 2022

Cells

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a food crop with the largest planting area and the highest yield in the world, and it plays a vital role in ensuring global food security. Conventional breeding methods are costly, time-consuming, and ineffective in maize breeding. In recent years, CRISPR-Cas editing technology has been used to quickly generate new varieties with high yield and improved grain quality and stress resistance by precisely modifying key genes involved in specific traits, thus becoming a new engine for promoting crop breeding and the competitiveness of seed industries. Using CRISPR-Cas, a range of new maize materials with high yield, improved grain quality, ideal plant type and flowering period, male sterility, and stress resistance have been created. Moreover, many patents have been filed worldwide, reflecting the huge practical application prospects and commercial value. Based on the existing patent data, we analyzed the development process, current status, and prospects of CRISPR-Cas technology in dissecting gene function and creating new germplasm in maize, providing information for future basic research and commercial production.

“…ZmNF-YA3 also interacts with CONSTANS-like (CO-like) and flowering promoting factor1 (FPF1), and the complex can regulate flowering time ( Su et al, 2018 ). ZmNF-YC2 in maize under long-day conditions is a positive regulator of flowering time by promoting the expression of ZmNF-YA3, the latter negatively regulates the transcription of ZmAP2 that suppresses the expression of the MADS-box gene ZMM4 to delay flowering time ( Su et al, 2021 ). These studies indicate that some members of ZmNF-Y may play important roles in plant development and the response and adaptation to stresses; however, the biological roles of ZmNF-Y genes in maize are still very limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transcription factors ZmNF-YA1 and ZmNF-YB16 regulate plant growth and drought tolerance in maize

Yang

et al. 2022

Plant Physiology

The identification of drought stress regulatory genes is crucial for the genetic improvement of maize (Zea mays L.) yield. Nuclear factors Y (NF-Ys) are important transcription factors, but their roles in the drought stress tolerance of plants and underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In this work, we used yeast two-hybrid screening to identify potential interactors of ZmNF-YB16 and confirmed the interaction between ZmNF-YA1 and ZmNF-YB16-YC17 and between ZmNF-YA7 and ZmNF-YB16-YC17. ZmNF-YB16 interacted with ZmNF-YC17 via its histone fold domain to form a heterodimer in the cytoplasm and then entered the nucleus to form a heterotrimer with ZmNF-YA1 or ZmNF-YA7 under osmotic stress. Overexpression of ZmNF-YA1 improved drought and salt stress tolerance and root development of maize, whereas zmnf-ya1 mutants exhibited drought and salt stress sensitivity. ZmNF-YA1-mediated transcriptional regulation, especially in JA signaling, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling, could underlie the altered stress tolerance of zmnf-ya1 mutant plants. ZmNF-YA1 bound to promoter CCAAT motifs and directly regulated the expression of multiple genes that play important roles in stress responses and plant development. Comparison of ZmNF-YB16- and ZmNF-YA1-regulated genes showed that ZmNF-YA1 and ZmNF-YB16 have similar biological functions in stress responses but varied functions in other biological processes. Taken together, ZmNF-YA1 is a positive regulator of plant drought and salt stress responses and is involved in the root development of maize, and ZmNF-Y complexes with different subunits may have discrepant functions.