A Zea genus-specific micropeptide controls kernel dehydration in maize
Kernel dehydration rate (KDR) is a crucial production trait that affects mechanized harvesting and kernel quality in maize; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL), qKDR1, as a non-coding sequence that regulates the expression of qKDR1 REGULATED PEPTIDE GENE (RPG). RPG encodes a 31 amino acid micropeptide, microRPG1, which controls KDR by precisely modulating the expression of two genes, ZmETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like 1 and 3, in the ethylene signaling pathway in the kernels after filling. microRPG1 is a Zea genus-specific micropeptide and originated de novo from a non-coding sequence. Knockouts of microRPG1 result in faster KDR in maize. By contrast, overexpression or exogenous application of the micropeptide shows the opposite effect both in maize and Arabidopsis. Our findings reveal the molecular mechanism of microRPG1 in kernel dehydration and provide an important tool for future crop breeding.
Authors
- Ping Yin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0869-3772)
- Jianbing Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8650-7811)
- Yidan Ouyang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4966-1005)
- Yongmin Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1084-6651)
- Yilin Zou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8424-7582)
- Yanhui Yu
- Zhaowei Zhai
- Zhibing Lai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6114-388X)
- Anqiang Jia
- L. P. Liu
- Junjun Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8824-0732)
- Yujie Gou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5399-9757)
- Qihang Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0853-1108)
- Yu Xue (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9403-6869)
- Jieting Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5664-2975)
- David G. Jackson
- Jiali Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0295-6594)
- Yingjie Xiao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7276-653X)
- Alisdair Robert Fernie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9000-335X)
- Zhuo Lin
- Wenqiang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7802-7228)
- Bao Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1563-7103)
- Yanjun Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1158-9602)
- Haijun Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0537-0302)
- Yang Zheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4334-4968)
- Ning Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3036-0202)
- Ding Wenya
- Xinhua Hao
Institutions
- Huazhong Agricultural University (CN)
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (US)
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (DE)
- Kai Biotech (South Korea) (KR)
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cell
- Published
- 2024-11-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.030
- Citations
- 45
- Primary Topic
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 26.98