Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNAs of more than 200 nucleotides. To date, the roles of lncRNAs in soybean fatty acid synthesis have not been fully studied. Here, the low-linolenic ...acid mutant 'MT72' and the wild-type control 'JN18' were used as materials. The lncRNAs in young pods at 30 and 40 days (d) after flowering were systematically identified and analyzed using transcriptome sequencing technology combined with bioinformatics tools. A total of 39,324 lncRNAs and 561 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified. A lncRNAs-miRNAs-protein-coding genes (mRNAs) network was constructed, and 46 lncRNAs, 46 miRNAs and 137 mRNAs were found to be correlated. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of 12 targeted mRNAs in the competing endogenous RNA network showed that these lncRNAs may be involved in the biological processes of fatty acid transport, lipid synthesis and cell division. Finally, the expression levels of differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs were verified using qRT-PCR. The expression patterns of most genes were consistent with the sequencing results. In conclusion, new information was provided for the study of fatty acid synthesis by lncRNAs in young soybean pods.
As a staple food crop, maize is widely cultivated worldwide. Sex differentiation and kernel development are regulated by auxin, but the mechanism regulating its synthesis remains unclear. This study ...explored the influence of the growth stage of maize on the secondary metabolite accumulation and gene expression associated with auxin synthesis. Transcriptomics and metabonomics were used to investigate the changes in secondary metabolite accumulation and gene expression in maize leaves at the jointing, tasseling, and pollen-release stages of plant growth. In total, 1221 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and 4843 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened. KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of the DEGs and DAMs revealed that plant hormone signal transduction, tryptophan metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were highly enriched. We summarized the key genes and regulatory effects of the tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis pathways, giving new insights into this type of biosynthesis. Potential MSTRG.11063 and MSTRG.35270 and MSTRG.21978 genes in auxin synthesis pathways were obtained. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified five candidate genes, namely TSB (Zm00001d046676 and Zm00001d049610), IGS (Zm00001d020008), AUX2 (Zm00001d006283), TAR (Zm00001d039691), and YUC (Zm00001d025005 and Zm00001d008255), which were important in the biosynthesis of both tryptophan and auxin. This study provides new insights for understanding the regulatory mechanism of auxin synthesis in maize.
Maize (
Zea mays
L.) is an annual gramineous herb and is among the world’s most important crop species. Drought is the main factor contributing to maize yield reduction. The lateral organ boundaries ...domain (LBD) proteins belong to a class of higher-plant-specific transcription factors. LBD proteins usually include the highly conserved lateral organ boundaries (LOB) domains that play essential roles in plant growth and response to biotic stresses. However, few studies have addressed the biological functions of LBD genes associated with maize response to drought. Here we cloned the
ZmLBD2
gene from maize and described its role in combating drought. Investigating ZmLBD2 subcellular localization, we show that it localizes to the cell nucleus and can specifically bind with inverted repeats of “GCGGCG”. Under drought stress,
Arabidopsis thaliana
overexpressing ZmLBD2 performed better than the wild-type plants in terms of seed germination rates, root length, relative water content, fresh weight, chlorophyll content, proline content, and antioxidant enzyme content. Arabidopsis overexpressing ZmLBD2 contained less MDA, H
2
O
2
, and
O
2
−
than the wild-type plants. Our protein-protein interaction results indicate an interaction between the
ZmLBD2
and
ZmIAA5
genes. In conclusion, the
ZmLBD2
gene positively regulates H
2
O
2
homeostasis in plants, strengthening drought resistance.
Osmotic stress caused by drought and high salinity is the key factor limiting plant growth. However, its underlying molecular regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we found the ...stress-related gene Zm00001d019704 (ZmSRG7) based on transcriptome sequencing results previously obtained in the laboratory and determined its biological function in maize. We found that ZmSRG7 was significantly expressed in both roots and leaves under 10% PEG6000 or 150 mM NaCl. Subcellular localization showed that the gene was localized in the nucleus. The germination rate and root length of the ZmSRG7 overexpressing lines were significantly increased under drought or salt stress compared with the control. However, after drought stress, the survival rate and relative water content of maize were increased, while the water loss rate was slowed down. Under salt stress, the Na+ concentration and Na+: K+ ratio of maize was increased. In addition, the contents of antioxidant enzymes and proline in maize under drought or salt stress were higher than those in the control, while the contents of MDA, H2O2 and O2− were lower than those in the control. The results showed that the ZmSRG7 gene played its biological function by regulating the ROS signaling pathway. An interaction between ZmSRG7 and the Zmdhn1 protein was found using a yeast two-hybrid experiment. These results suggest that the ZmSRG7 gene can improve maize tolerance to drought or salt by regulating hydrogen peroxide homeostasis.
The plant architecture traits of maize determine the yield. Plant height, ear position, leaf angle above the primary ear and internode length above the primary ear together determine the canopy ...structure and photosynthetic efficiency of maize and at the same time affect lodging and disease resistance. A flat and tall plant architecture confers an obvious advantage in the yield of a single plant but is not conducive to dense planting and results in high rates of lodging; thus, it has been gradually eliminated in production. Although using plants that are too compact, short and density tolerant can increase the yield per unit area to a certain extent, the photosynthetic efficiency of such plants is low, ultimately limiting yield increases. Genetic mapping is an effective method for the improvement of plant architecture to identify candidate genes for regulating plant architecture traits.
To find the best balance between the yield per plant and the yield per unit area of maize, in this study, the F2:3 pedigree population and a RIL population with the same male parent were used to identify QTL for plant height (PH), ear height (EH), leaf angle and internode length above the primary ear (LAE and ILE) in Changchun and Gongzhuling for 5 consecutive years (2016-2020). A total of 11, 13, 23 and 13 QTL were identified for PH, EH, LAE, and ILE, respectively. A pleiotropic consistent QTL for PH overlapped with that for EH on chromosome 3, with a phenotypic variation explanation rate from 6.809% to 21.96%. In addition, there were major consistent QTL for LAE and ILE, and the maximum phenotypic contribution rates were 24.226% and 30.748%, respectively. Three candidate genes were mined from the three consistent QTL regions and were involved in the gibberellin-activated signal pathway, brassinolide signal transduction pathway and auxin-activated signal pathway, respectively. Analysis of the expression levels of the three genes showed that they were actively expressed during the jointing stage of vigorous maize growth.
In this study, three consistent major QTL related to plant type traits were identified and three candidate genes were screened. These results lay a foundation for the cloning of related functional genes and marker-assisted breeding of related functional genes.
The papain-like cysteine proteases (PLCPs) is a subfamily of cysteine proteases that plays an important role in leaf senescence, and some of its members are involved in the regulation of plant growth ...and development under stress. In this study, we cloned a new gene,
, from maize. Expression profile analysis showed that
was induced by darkness and drought treatments. In addition, the
overexpression in maize accelerated the senescence of maize leaves under darkness and drought treatments. However, the knockout of
in maize enhanced the resistance of maize to darkness and drought stresses and reduced the degree of senescence of maize leaves. Under drought stress, compared with WT plants, the knockout lines had a higher seed germination rate, seedling survival rate and chlorophyll content, and lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that
negatively regulated some stress-related genes but positively regulated senescence-related genes under darkness and drought stress conditions. To summarize, these results indicate that
is a senescence-related gene and plays a negative role in response to darkness and drought stresses. This study laid a theoretical foundation for the innovation of maize germplasm resources with high quality, high yield and strong stress resistance.
Strigolactones (SLs) represent a recently identified class of plant hormones that are crucial for plant tillering and mycorrhizal symbiosis. The
gene, an essential receptor within the SLs signaling ...pathway, has been well-examined in crops, like rice (
L.) and
(
L.), yet the research on its influence in maize (
L.) remains scarce. This study successfully clones and establishes
gene overexpression lines (OE lines). When compared with the wild type (WT), the OE lines exhibited significantly longer primary roots during germination. By seven weeks of age, these lines showed reductions in plant height and tillering, alongside slight decreases in rosette and leaf sizes, coupled with early aging symptoms. Fluorescence-based quantitative assays indicated notable hormonal fluctuations in OE lines versus the WT, implying that
overexpression disrupts plant hormonal homeostasis. The OE lines, exposed to cold, drought, and sodium chloride stressors during germination, displayed an especially pronounced resistance to drought. The drought resistance of OE lines, as evident from dehydration-rehydration assays, outmatched that of the WT lines. Additionally, under drought conditions, the OE lines accumulated less reactive oxygen species (ROS) as revealed by the assessment of the related physiological and biochemical parameters. Upon confronting the pathogens
pv.
DC3000 (
DC3000), post-infection, fluorescence quantitative investigations showed a significant boost in the salicylic acid (SA)-related gene expression in OE lines compared to their WT counterparts. Overall, our findings designate the SL receptor
as a key upregulator of drought tolerance and a regulator in the biotic stress response, thereby advancing our understanding of the maize SL signaling pathway by elucidating the function of the pivotal
gene.
Maize (
L.) originates from the subtropical region and is a warm-loving crop affected by low-temperature stress. Dehydrin (DHN) protein, a member of the Group 2 LEA (late embryogenesis abundant ...proteins) family, plays an important role in plant abiotic stress. In this study, five maize DHN genes were screened based on the previous transcriptome sequencing data in our laboratory, and we performed sequence analysis and promoter analysis on these five DHN genes. The results showed that the promoter region has many cis-acting elements related to cold stress. The significantly upregulated
gene has been further screened by expression pattern analysis. The subcellular localization results show that
fusion protein is localized in the cytoplasm. To verify the role of
in cold stress, we overexpressed
in yeast and Arabidopsis. We found that the expression of
can significantly improve the cold resistance of yeast. Under cold stress,
-overexpressing Arabidopsis showed lower MDA content, lower relative electrolyte leakage, and less ROS (reactive oxygen species) when compared to wild-type plants, as well as higher seed germination rate, seedling survival rate, and chlorophyll content. Furthermore, analysis of the expression patterns of ROS-associated marker genes and cold-response-related genes indicated that
genes play an important role in the expression of these genes. In conclusion, the overexpression of the
gene can effectively improve the tolerance to cold stress in yeast and Arabidopsis. This study is important for maize germplasm innovation and the genetic improvement of crops.
Ammonia borane (AB), a liquid hydrogen storage material, has attracted increasing attention for hydrogen utilization because of its high hydrogen content. However, the slow kinetics of AB hydrolysis ...and the indefinite catalytic mechanism remain significant problems for its large‐scale practical application. Thus, the development of efficient AB hydrolysis catalysts and the determination of their catalytic mechanisms are significant and urgent. A summary of the preparation process and structural characteristics of various supported catalysts is presented in this paper, including graphite, metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), metal oxides, carbon nitride (CN), molybdenum carbide (MoC), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), boron nitride (h‐BN), zeolites, carbon dots (CDs), and metal carbide and nitride (MXene). In addition, the relationship between the electronic structure and catalytic performance is discussed to ascertain the actual active sites in the catalytic process. The mechanism of AB hydrolysis catalysis is systematically discussed, and possible catalytic paths are summarized to provide theoretical considerations for the designing of efficient AB hydrolysis catalysts. Furthermore, three methods for stimulating AB from dehydrogenation by‐products and the design of possible hydrogen product‐regeneration systems are summarized. Finally, the remaining challenges and future research directions for the effective development of AB catalysts are discussed.
A summary of the preparation process and structural characteristics of supported catalysts is presented. The mechanism and catalytic paths of ammonia borane (AB) hydrolysis are discussed for the designing of AB hydrolysis catalysts. Methods for stimulating AB from dehydrogenation by‐products and hydrogen product‐regeneration systems are summarized. The remaining challenges and future directions for the effective development of AB catalysts are discussed.
Breeding for new maize varieties with propitious root systems has tremendous potential in improving water and nutrients use efficiency and plant adaptation under suboptimal conditions. To date, most ...of the previously detected root-related trait genes in maize were new without functional verification. In this study, seven seedling root architectural traits were examined at three developmental stages in a recombinant inbred line population (RIL) of 179 RILs and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) panel of 80 elite inbred maize lines through quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and genome-wide association study. Using inclusive composite interval mapping, 8 QTLs accounting for 6.44-8.83 % of the phenotypic variation in root traits, were detected on chromosomes 1 (qRDW.sub.v3-1-1 and qRDW/SDW.sub.v3-1-1), 2 (qRBN.sub.v1-2-1), 4 (qSUA.sub.v1-4-1, qSUA.sub.v2-4-1, and qROV.sub.v2-4-1), and 10 (qTRL.sub.v1-10-1, qRBN.sub.v1-10-1). GWAS analysis involved three models (EMMAX, FarmCPU, and MLM) for a set of 1,490,007 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained via whole genome next-generation sequencing (NGS). Overall, 53 significant SNPs with a phenotypic contribution rate ranging from 5.10 to 30.2 % and spread all over the ten maize chromosomes exhibited associations with the seven root traits. 17 SNPs were repeatedly detected from at least two growth stages, with several SNPs associated with multiple traits stably identified at all evaluated stages. Within the average linkage disequilibrium (LD) distance of 5.2 kb for the significant SNPs, 46 candidate genes harboring substantial SNPs were identified. Five potential genes viz. Zm00001d038676, Zm00001d015379, Zm00001d018496, Zm00001d050783, and Zm00001d017751 were verified for expression levels using maize accessions with extreme root branching differences from the GWAS panel and the RIL population. The results showed significantly (P < 0.001) different expression levels between the outer materials in both panels and at all considered growth stages. This study provides a key reference for uncovering the complex genetic mechanism of root development and genetic enhancement of maize root system architecture, thus supporting the breeding of high-yielding maize varieties with propitious root systems.
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