Mutations in the maize zeta-carotene desaturase gene lead to viviparous kernel

Abstract

Preharvest sprouting reduces the maize quality and causes a significant yield loss in maize production. vp-wl2 is a Mutator (Mu)-induced viviparous mutant in maize, causing white or pale yellow kernels, dramatically reduced carotenoid and ABA content, and a high level of zeta-carotene accumulation. Here, we reported the cloning of the vp-wl2 gene using a modified digestion-ligation-amplification method (DLA). The results showed that an insertion of Mu9 in the first intron of the zeta-carotene desaturase (ZDS) gene results in the vp-wl2 mutation. Previous studies have suggested that ZDS is likely the structural gene of the viviparous9 (vp9) locus. Therefore, we performed an allelic test using vp-wl2 and three vp9 mutants. The results showed that vp-wl2 is a novel allele of the vp9 locus. In addition, the sequences of ZDS gene were identified in these three vp9 alleles. The vp-wl2 mutant gene was subsequently introgressed into four maize inbred lines, and a viviparous phenotype was observed with yield losses from 7.69% to 13.33%.

Eleven biosynthetic genes explain the majority of natural variation for carotenoid levels in maize grain

“…However, these genes represent another identified target for breeding or metabolic engineering efforts within the precursor pathway for carotenoid biosynthesis. A novel allele of ζ-carotene desaturase (ZDS; vp9) in maize was also recently observed to result in increased ζ-carotene and deficiency in downstream carotenoids and ABA (Chen et al 2017). If one or multiple favorable alleles are identified for this gene, it could be of interest along with vp5 and im1.…”

Plant apocarotenoids: from retrograde signaling to interspecific communication

“…Genetic mutation or impaired expression of linear cis ‐carotene biosynthetic genes has a negative impact on ABA biosynthesis and accumulation in plant tissues, giving rise to phenotypes associated with ABA deficiency. For instance, the sunflower nd1 ( zds ) (Conti et al ., 2004), maize vp5 ( pds ) (Hable et al ., 1998), vp9 ( zds ) (Matthews et al ., 2003; Ma et al ., 2014; Chen et al ., 2017) and y9 ( ziso ) (Li et al ., 2007) and rice phs‐1 ( pds ), phs‐2 ( zds ) and phs‐3 ( crtiso ) (Fang et al ., 2008) mutants develop viviparous seeds that lack dormancy. Precocious seed/grain development reduces the overall yield and quality of crops and causes economic loss (Nonogaki and Nonogaki, 2017).…”

Multi-Omics Analyses Reveal Systemic Insights into Maize Vivipary

“…However, precocious seed germination in agriculture, termed preharvest sprouting (PHS) or vivipary, is caused by abscisic acid (ABA) deficiency during the maturation phase and constitutes a severe threat to crop yields. To date, a limited number of vivipary mutants have been reported, such as phs1, phs2, phs3, phs4, and phs8 in rice [1,2]; not, flc and sit in tomato [3][4][5]; and vp1/vp4, vp5, vp7, vp9, vp10/vp13, vp14, vp15, and y9 in maize [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14], and the feature that these mutants have in common is their decreased ABA content. Genes with different biochemical functions have been identified as being responsible for the vivipary phenomenon.…”

“…Both the vp1 and vp4 genes encode a plantspecific transcription factor involved in ABA signaling that can complement the Arabidopsis abi3 mutant allele [19,20]. The vp5, vp7, and vp9 genes encode enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, and the mutants showed an albino phenotype with reduced ABA levels [8][9][10]. VP14 is homologous to Arabidopsis NCED9, catalyzing the first committed step in ABA biosynthesis and cleavage of 9-cis-epoxy-carotenoids to form C 25 apo-aldehydes and xanthoxin, the precursor of ABA biosynthesis in higher plants [12,21].…”