Comprehensive Analysis of ZmTBL Genes Reveals Their Roles in Maize Development and Abiotic Stress Responses

Trichome birefringence-like proteins function as polysaccharide O-acetyltransferases that catalyze the O-acetylation of cell wall polysaccharides and play widespread roles in regulating plant growth and stress responses. However, no TBL genes have been functionally characterized in maize, and their biological properties remain largely unexplored. Through bioinformatic analysis, we identified 74 maize TBL genes (designated ZmTBL1–ZmTBL74) among the maize genome. Comprehensive analyses of their phylogenetic relationships, basic physicochemical and sequence characteristics, putative upstream regulatory transcription factors and expression patterns were conducted. Expression profiling and qPCR analyses revealed that ZmTBLs respond widely to abiotic stresses, including heat and cold. Association analyses demonstrated that sequence variations in ZmTBL57 and ZmTBL69 correlate with maize agronomic traits. These findings elucidate the molecular characteristics and evolutionary history of maize TBL genes and underscore their roles in abiotic stress responses. In summary, the foundation established by this work will facilitate further functional characterization of TBL genes in maize.