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Wang H, Yan X, Du Q, Yan P, Xi J, Meng X, Li X, Liu H, Liu G, Fu Z, Tang J, Li WX. Maize Dek407 Encodes the Nitrate Transporter 1.5 and Is Required for Kernel Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17471. [PMID: 38139299 PMCID: PMC10743814 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The kernel serves as the storage organ and harvestable component of maize, and it plays a crucial role in determining crop yield and quality. Understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms of kernel development is of considerable importance for maize production. In this study, we obtained a mutant, which we designated defective kernel 407 (dek407), through ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis. The dek407 mutant exhibited reduced kernel size and kernel weight, as well as delayed grain filling compared with those of the wild type. Positional cloning and an allelism test revealed that Dek407 encodes a nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (NPF) protein and is the allele of miniature 2 (mn2) that was responsible for a poorly filled defective kernel phenotype. A transcriptome analysis of the developing kernels showed that the mutation of Dek407 altered the expression of phytohormone-related genes, especially those genes associated with indole-3-acetic acid synthesis and signaling. Phytohormone measurements and analysis indicated that the endogenous indole-3-acetic acid content was significantly reduced by 66% in the dek407 kernels, which may be the primary cause of the defective phenotype. We further demonstrated that natural variation in Dek407 is associated with kernel weight and kernel size. Therefore, Dek407 is a potential target gene for improvement of maize yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqiu Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Xiaolan Yan
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Qingguo Du
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Pengshuai Yan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Jinjin Xi
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Xiaoruo Meng
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Xuguang Li
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Huijian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Guoqin Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Zhongjun Fu
- Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chongqing 401329, China
| | - Jihua Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- The Shennong Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Wen-Xue Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
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Liu C, Moschou PN. Cutting in the middleman: hidden substrates at the interface between proteases and plant development. New Phytol 2018; 218:916-922. [PMID: 28262953 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Contents Summary 916 I. Introduction 916 II. DEK1: towards identification of protease substrates 917 III. Separases: when proteolytic modules attain nonproteolytic functions 918 IV. The peculiar case of a nonredundant subtilisin 919 V. Towards a solution to the protease redundancy problem 920 VI. Matters arising and closing remarks 921 Acknowledgements 921 References 921 SUMMARY: Proteases are integral components of proteome remodelling networks that regulate turnover of proteins and expand their functional diversity. Accumulating evidence highlights the importance of proteases as being central hubs of developmental programs. Yet the molecular pathways that many proteases act on, their natural substrates and their putative nonproteolytic functions remain largely elusive. Here, we discuss recent findings on proteases with functions that converge into plant development regulation, such as DEFECTIVE KERNEL 1 (DEK1), separase and subtilisins, to highlight conspicuous but unexplored aspects of protease biology. We also suggest an exploratory framework for addressing protease functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Liu
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, PO Box 7080, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Panagiotis N Moschou
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, PO Box 7080, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
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Xu X, Li L, Dong X, Jin W, Melchinger AE, Chen S. Gametophytic and zygotic selection leads to segregation distortion through in vivo induction of a maternal haploid in maize. J Exp Bot 2013; 64:1083-96. [PMID: 23349137 PMCID: PMC3580820 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ers393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Production of maternal haploids via a male inducer can greatly accelerate maize breeding and is an interesting biological phenomenon in double fertilization. However, the mechanism behind haploid induction remains elusive. Segregation distortion, which is increasingly recognized as a potentially powerful evolutionary force, has recently been observed during maternal haploid induction in maize. The results present here showed that both male gametophytic and zygotic selection contributed to severe segregation distortion of a locus, named segregation distortion 1 (sed1), during maternal haploid induction in maize. Interestingly, analysis of reciprocal crosses showed that sed1 is expressed in the male gametophyte. A novel mapping strategy based on segregation distortion has been used to fine-map this locus. Strong selection for the presence of the sed1 haplotype from inducers in kernels with haploid formation and defects could be detected in the segregating population. Dual-pollination experiments showed that viable pollen grains from inducers had poor pollen competitive ability against pollen from normal genotypes. Although defective kernels and haploids have different phenotypes, they are most probably caused by the sed1 locus, and possible mechanisms for production of maternal haploids and the associated segregation distortion are discussed. This research also provides new insights into the process of double fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Xu
- National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Li
- National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Dong
- National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Jin
- National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Albrecht E. Melchinger
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Seed Science, and Population Genetics, University of Hohenheim, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Shaojiang Chen
- National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, 100193, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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