Natural variation of <i>CT2</i> affects the embryo/kernel weight ratio in maize

Yumin Zhang; Sihan Zhen; Chunxia Zhang; Jie Zhang; Xiaoqing Shangguan; Jiawen Lu; Qingyu Wu; Lynnette M. A. Dirk; A. Bruce Downie; Guoying Wang; Tianyong Zhao; Junjie Fu

doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2024.09.012

Volume 52 Issue 3

Mar. 2025

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Article Navigation > Journal of Genetics and Genomics > 2025 > 52(3): 432-440

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Natural variation of CT2 affects the embryo/kernel weight ratio in maize

doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.09.012

a. State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China;
b. The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Maize in Arid Area of Northwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China;
c. State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China;
d. Seed Science and Technology Research Center, Beijing Innovation Center for Seed Technology (MOA), Beijing Key Laboratory for Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;
e. School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University, Chonging 400045, China;
f. Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China;
g. Department of Horticulture, Seed Biology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA

Funds:

This work was supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFF1000400), National Natural Science Foundation of China (32101693), Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi (2021ZDLNY01-06), and Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of CAAS (CAAS-ZDRW202004). LMAD and ABD were supported by Hatch project (1019088). We thank the Teaching and Research Core Facility at College of Life Science, NWAFU for the technical support.

Received Date: 2024-06-07
Accepted Date: 2024-09-22
Rev Recd Date: 2024-09-22

Available Online: 2025-07-11

Publish Date: 2024-09-27

Abstract

Abstract

Embryo size is a critical trait determining not only grain yield but also the nutrition of the maize kernel. Up to the present, only a few genes have been characterized affecting the maize embryo/kernel ratio. Here, we identify 63 genes significantly associated with maize embryo/kernel weight ratio using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The peak GWAS signal shows that the natural variation in Zea mays COMPACT PLANT2 (CT2), encoding the heterotrimeric G protein α subunit, is significantly associated with the Embryo/Kernel Weight Ratio (EKWR). Further analyses show that a missense mutation of CT2 increases its enzyme activity and associates with EKWR. The function of CT2 on affecting embryo/kernel weight ratio is further validated by the characterization of two ct2 mutants, for which EKWR is significantly decreased. Subsequently, the key downstream genes of CT2 are identified by combining the differential expression analysis of the ct2 mutant and quantitative trait transcript analysis in the GWAS population. In addition, the allele frequency spectrum shows that CT2 was under selective pressure during maize domestication. This study provides important genetic insights into the natural variation of maize embryo/kernel weight ratio, which could be applied in future maize breeding programs to improve grain yield and nutritional content.
- Maize,
- Embryo size,
- GWAS,
- CT2,
- Natural variation

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