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The combination of morphogenic regulators BABY BOOM and GRF-GIF improves maize transformation efficiency and promotes leaf regeneration.

Transformation is an indispensable tool for plant genetics and functional genomics. Although stable transformation in maize is no longer a major obstacle, there remains a need for accessible and efficient methods for academic laboratories. Here, we present the GGB system, a rapid and efficient approach optimized for immature embryo transformation in B104 and other maize lines. This system combines two distinct morphogenetic regulators, the wheat GRF4-GIF1 chimera and the maize BABY BOOM (BBM) transcription factor (hence the name "GGB") with a modified QuickCorn protocol, enabling regeneration of transformed maize plantlets in c. 2 months with an efficiency 7-fold higher than when compared to either morphogenic factor used in isolation. Expression of both regulators did not significantly affect development, eliminating the need to excise them after regeneration. However, transmission of the transgenic GGB construct through pollen was significantly reduced, potentially aiding transgenic line containment. We show that the GGB system is adaptable for CRISPR-Cas9 editing and reporter line generation. Furthermore, stable GGB transformants exhibited high leaf regeneration capacity via somatic embryogenesis. RNA-seq time-course profiling of GGB leaf cultures identified additional factors that could promote regeneration and led to the discovery of asparagine and trehalose as additional media components that significantly enhanced leaf regeneration.

Zea mays↗

GT1 regulates maize sex determination by affecting the jasmonate pathway.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a monoecious plant with male and female flowers physically separated on different inflorescences-the tassel and the ear. Maize sex determination is controlled by a series of complicated developmental signals. Here, we characterized an EMS-induced maize feminized tassel mutant,tasselsilk1 (tsk1), and identified GRASSY TILLERS1 (GT1) as the causative gene. Phenotypic analysis of tsk1 mutants revealed that pistils fail to abort in both the tassel and ear, resulting in long sterile silks in the tassel and the development of an extra small kernel from the lower floret in the ear. RNA-seq and CUT&Tag analysis indicated that GT1 functioned as a repressor for flower organ development by regulating the JA biosynthesis and signaling pathways, specifically by directly promoting the expression of TASSELSEED1 (TS1), ZmMYC2A, ZmMYC2B. Together, we identified a new allele of GT1 and proposed that GT1 functions through JA biosynthesis and signaling pathways to regulate sex determination in maize.

Zea mays↗

Natural variation in the cytokinin oxidase gene ZmCKX6 influences leaf morphology and yield-related traits in maize.

Leaf width (LW) is a critical determinant of maize architecture and yield. To uncover its genetic basis, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 348 maize inbred lines and identified ZmCKX6, encoding cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase, as a key gene associated with LW. Natural variation in the ZmCKX6 promoter significantly influenced its expression levels, leading to differences in LW across various haplotypes. Functional validation using CRISPR/Cas9 revealed that ZmCKX6 knockout results in pleiotropic effects, including narrower leaves, reduced plant height, and decreased grain yield components. These phenotypes were accompanied by elevated levels of active cytokinins but reduced levels of auxin, gibberellins, and salicylic acid. Transcriptome analysis revealed a significant downregulation of photosynthesis-related genes, corresponding to reduced photosynthetic rates in knockout lines. Evolutionary analysis demonstrated that the allele associated with narrower leaves were preferentially selected during maize domestication and breeding. This study highlights the role of ZmCKX6 in modulating cytokinin homeostasis and its subsequent impact on multiple agronomic traits in maize, providing insights into the complex genetic control of plant architecture and yield. The identified natural variations could be valuable for marker-assisted selection aimed at optimizing plant architecture and improving yield.

Zea mays↗

Decoding nitrogen uptake efficiency in maize and sorghum: insights from comparative gene regulatory networks.

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and yield, yet optimizing nitrogen use efficiency remains a challenge in agriculture. To better understand the regulatory basis of plant responses to N availability, we constructed a maize-specific nitrogen uptake efficiency gene regulatory network (mNUEGRN) comprising 1625 protein-DNA interactions (PDI) between 70 promoters and 301 transcription factors using enhanced yeast one-hybrid assays. We also projected a sorghum NUE GRN (spNUEGRN) based on maize orthologs and analyzed N-responsive subnetworks in both species using transcriptome profiling under N stress of early deprivation and recovery. Cross-species comparison with an existing Arabidopsis GRN revealed about 18% conserved interaction, corresponding to 11% of the mNUEGRN, particularly within the nitrate assimilation pathways. Notably, bZIP18 and bZIP30 emerged as central regulators in mNUEGRN, forming highly connected feed-forward loops (FFLs). From our time series data, we identified 19 236 and 23 864 differentially expressed genes in maize and sorghum, respectively. Gini correlation analysis uncovered 764 and 638 FFLs in mNUEGRN and spNUEGRN, respectively, of which 22 FFLs in maize and 35 in sorghum were identified in both leaf and root for each species. These FFLs may represent candidate regulatory motifs that contribute to modulating transcriptional responses under fluctuating N conditions, but their potential roles require further investigation. Together, our findings reveal evolutionarily conserved and species-specific regulatory strategies that mediate early N responsiveness, offering a foundation for engineering crops with improved NUE.

Sorghum↗

Integrative analysis of transcriptome and chromatin accessibility reveals promoter-proximal regulation and identifies candidate ABC transporters associated with cold stress responses in maize.

BACKGROUND: Low-temperature stress is a formidable environmental constraint that severely limits the growth and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.), particularly during the highly vulnerable early seedling stage. While cold tolerance is a critical agronomic objective, the integrated transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that govern this trait remain largely elusive. Characterizing these coordinated molecular networks is fundamental to the genetic enhancement of cold resilience in maize. METHODS: Using two maize inbred lines contrasting in chilling response (ZHB12 tolerant, B73 sensitive), we performed integrative time‑course RNA‑seq and ATAC‑seq to thoroughly and systematically characterize the precise dynamic interplay between gene expression and chromatin accessibility under cold stress conditions at the seedling stage. RESULTS: Physiological assessments confirmed that ZHB12 possesses superior cold tolerance, manifested by significantly attenuated electrolyte leakage and reduced foliar damage compared to B73. Transcriptomic profiling revealed a massive, time-dependent divergence in gene expression between the two genotypes, with a major regulatory transition identified at 24 h of cold exposure. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that ZHB12 preferentially activates a robust defense repertoire, including Photosystem II electron transport, diterpenoid biosynthesis, and ATP biosynthetic pathways. Notably, multiple ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes were coordinately upregulated under chilling, suggesting their potential involvement in cellular homeostasis. ATAC-seq analysis indicated that cold stress is associated with chromatin remodeling in ZHB12, with increased accessibility observed in proximal promoter regions. Integrative analysis identified a core set of dual-responsive genes, in which increased promoter accessibility coincided with transcriptional upregulation. These genes were predominantly enriched in transporter activity and transcriptional regulation, suggesting potential epigenetic link to the superior stress response of ZHB12. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal extensive transcriptional and chromatin accessibility changes in ZHB12 under cold stress. The observed associations between promoter accessibility and gene activation, particularly in genes involved in transport processes, highlight candidate regulators potentially contributing to cold tolerance. This study provides a molecular framework and identifies high-value candidate genes that may inform future efforts in breeding cold-tolerant maize, pending functional validation.

Zea mays↗

Age differences in stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in a population of prehistoric maize horticulturists.

Stable carbon isotope ratios in prehistoric human bone collagen have been used extensively to document the introduction and intensification of maize horticulture in notheastern North America. Most previous studies are based on small samples of adults who are assumed to characterize the diet of the population. In this study, all 29 individuals buried within an Ontario Iroquoian village site dated A.D. 1530-1580 were analysed for stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Age distribution of the sample ranges from preterm to elderly. Significant negative correlations between age and delta 13C, and age and delta 15N values were found. High delta 13C values in infants and young children (delta 13C = -6.8 to -12.3) suggest a weaning diet high in maize. High delta 15N values in infants relative to adults suggest a trophic level effect during breast-feeding which has been reported in a modern sample by Tuross et al. (Am. J. Phys. Anthropol., 1993). In addition to the isotopic evidence for extremely high carbohydrate (maize) intake, the MacPherson sample includes two juveniles aged 3-4 years, exhibiting circular caries. No other cases of this condition are known in the extensively studied southern Ontario skeletal collections. Together the evidence from dentition and stable carbon isotopes indicates a very high carbohydrate diet in subadults. Circular caries result from developmental stress during enamel formation with subsequent caries formation in areas of thinner enamel. These findings are relevant to studies of infant and early childhood morbidity and mortality among prehistoric maize horticulturists.

Adult↗

Electrophoretic heterogeneity of maize histones.

Histones from maize embryos and seedlings have been isolated using a fast extraction procedure. Three different electrophoretic systems have been applied for the study of the heterogeneity of maize core histones. Electrophoresis in acetic acid/urea polyacrylamide gels, containing high concentrations of urea, resulted in optimum fractionation of the core histones and especially of histone H4. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gels were not useful for the fractionation of maize histone classes H2a and H2b, nor for the various subfractions of H3 and H4. Gels containing Triton X-100, used for the dimension in two-dimensional electrophoresis proved to be efficient for the separation of all histone classes, as well as their structural variants and chemical modifications. Maize core histones have been oxidized in an attempt to define which of the Triton X-100 resolved subfractions represent oxidation forms.

Cell Nucleus↗

Quantitative-competitive polymerase chain reaction coupled with slab gel and capillary electrophoresis for the detection of roundup ready soybean and maize.

The aim of the present study was to develop a quantitative-competitive PCR (QC-PCR) method to detect DNA from transgenic herbicide-resistant (roundup ready, RR) soybean and maize. Since no QC-PCR system for the quantification of RR maize had been published at the time of writing, a specific competitor DNA for transgenic event was developed. For the QC-PCR of RR-soybean, a commercially available competitor was employed. These internal standards were calibrated by coamplifying with mixtures containing RR-soybean and maize DNAs. The calibrated QC-PCR systems were applied to certified RR-soybean and maize flour mixtures in order to demonstrate their suitability not only for the quantification of the glyphosate resistance traits in DNA matrices, but also in practically relevant samples. In addition, a special focus of the present work was to compare the detection of QC-PCR products by slab gel and CGE with UV detection. CGE permitted the precise detection of transgenic events also below the equivalence points; while in slab gel electrophoresis, due to the low sensitivity the quantification of genetically modified DNA was allowed only at the equivalence point.

Calibration↗

The wheat cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene has an intron insert and three radical amino acid changes relative to maize.

We have determined the sequence of the wheat mitochondrial gene for cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) and find that its derived protein sequence differs from that of maize at only three amino acid positions. Unexpectedly, all three replacements are non-conservative ones. The wheat COII gene has a highly-conserved intron at the same position as in maize, but the wheat intron is 1.5 times longer because of an insert relative to its maize counterpart. Hybridization analysis of mitochondrial DNA from rye, pea, broad bean and cucumber indicates strong sequence conservation of COII coding sequences among all these higher plants. However, only rye and maize mitochondrial DNA show homology with wheat COII intron sequences and rye alone with intron-insert sequences. We find that a sequence identical to the region of the 5' exon corresponding to the transmembrane domain of the COII protein is present at a second genomic location in wheat mitochondria. These variations in COII gene structure and size, as well as the presence of repeated COII sequences, illustrate at the DNA sequence level, factors which contribute to higher plant mitochondrial DNA diversity and complexity.

Journal Article↗

Maize Adh-1 promoter sequences control anaerobic regulation: addition of upstream promoter elements from constitutive genes is necessary for expression in tobacco.

The promoter region of a maize alcohol dehydrogenase gene (Adh-1) was linked to a reporter gene encoding chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) and transformed stably into tobacco cells using T-DNA vectors. No CAT enzyme activity could be detected in transgenic tobacco plants unless upstream promoter elements from the octopine synthase gene or the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter were supplied in addition to the maize promoter region. CAT enzyme activity and transcription of the chimaeric gene were then readily detected after anaerobic induction. The first 247 bp upstream of the translation initiation codon of the maize Adh-1 gene were sufficient to impose anaerobic regulation on the hybrid gene and S1 nuclease mapping confirmed mRNA initiation is from the normal maize Adh-1 transcription start point.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Protein phosphatase activity is required for light-inducible gene expression in maize.

Chlorophyll accumulation and photosynthetic gene activation are two hallmarks of greening process in etiolated maize leaves in response to light signals. However, very little is known about the relevant signal transduction pathways mediating these essential processes that lead to photosynthetic competence. It is shown here that a potent and specific protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and PP2A inhibitor, okadaic acid, efficiently blocks chlorophyll accumulation induced by light in etiolated maize leaves. In addition, the light-inducible expression of two photosynthetic fusion genes can be specifically suppressed by the structurally unrelated PP1 and PP2A inhibitors, okadaic acid and calyculin A, using a sensitive and physiological maize protoplast transient assay. The specificity and effective concentration of the inhibitors in vivo and in vitro strongly suggest that PP1 is required for transmitting light signals. Intriguingly, several partial cDNAs encoding novel as well as conserved PP1 can be identified in maize leaves using the polymerase chain reaction. Studies of chimeric promoters indicate that PP1 activity is essential for the interaction of multiple regulatory elements. Although PP1 and PP2A have been implicated in the suppression of gene activity in yeast and animals, the present data indicate that PP1 appears to be essential for light-dependent gene activation in plants.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

High-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of maize proteins.

Methods for the analysis of maize proteins using HPLC and CE are reviewed. Most of the references cited in this review concern HPLC methods. Size-exclusion HPLC and especially RP-HPLC methods have been developed for characterization of normal and genetically modified maize, cultivar differentiation, and prediction of quality. Few CE methods for the analysis of maize proteins were found in the existing literature. Most of these methods focus on optimization of the separation of maize proteins using CZE and SDS-capillary gel electrophoresis.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Influence of Bacillus spp. isolated from maize agroecosystem on growth and aflatoxin B(1) production by Aspergillus section Flavi.

A total of 59 bacteria of the Bacillus genus were isolated from different components of a maize agroecosystem and their antifungal activity against Aspergillus section Flavi was evaluated. Thirty-three and 46% of these bacteria were able to inhibit Aspergillus flavus Link and A. parasiticus Speare respectively at water activity (a(w)) 0.982; however, when a(w) was 0.955, these percentages were decreased and only three isolates were able to inhibit Aspergillus section Flavi. The majority of bacilli acted as contact antagonists, while a small number of isolates were able to form inhibition zones. In maize meal extract agar, Aspergillus section Flavi growth rate and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) production were significantly reduced when these strains were paired at a(w) 0.982 with bacilli at all inoculum levels studied. However, two bacilli isolated were able to reduce growth rate and aflatoxin production when a(w) was 0.955. Lag phase increase followed the same general pattern as growth rate reduction. When Aspergillus section Flavi was grown in sterile maize in the presence of three Bacillus strains at a(w) 0.982, the reduction in count (colony-forming units (cfu) g(-1) maize) was less than 30%, except when Aspergillus section Flavi grew with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens UNRCLR. However, levels of detectable AFB(1) were significantly reduced in these interactions at a(w) 0.982.

Aflatoxin B1↗

Alteration of the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope composition of beef by substitution of grass silage with maize silage.

This study investigated the effect of substituting grass silage (C3 photosynthetic plant product) with maize silage (C4 photosynthetic plant product) on the natural abundance carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) stable isotope composition of bovine muscle tissue. Forty-five continental crossbred heifers were assigned to one of three diets consisting of 3 kg of a barley-based concentrate plus grass silage, maize silage or an equal mixture (dry matter basis) of grass silage and maize silage, fed ad libitum, for 167 days. Substitution resulted in less negative delta13C values (P<0.001) in lipid-free muscle and in lipid, and also a lower delta15N (P<0.001) in lipid-free muscle. Feeding of maize silage was clearly reflected in the delta13C of muscle, with each 10% difference in the dietary C4 carbon intake resulting in a 0.9 to 1.0 per thousand shift of delta13C in lipid-free muscle and a 1.0 to 1.2 per thousand in lipid. Minimum detectable mean differences (95% confidence, power 0.80, n=15) in this experiment were about 0.5 per thousand and 1.0 per thousand for delta13C of lipid-free muscle and lipid, respectively, and about 0.5 per thousand for delta15N of lipid-free muscle. The power analysis presented here is useful for estimating minimum isotopic differences that can be detected between any two groups of beef samples with a given number of replicates. It is concluded that carbon stable isotope ratio analysis of meat can be used to quantify C3/C4 dietary constituents in beef production.

Animal Feed↗

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of 39 mycotoxins in wheat and maize.

This paper describes the first validated method for the determination of 39 mycotoxins in wheat and maize using a single extraction step followed by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) without the need for any clean-up. The 39 analytes included A- and B-trichothecenes (including deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside), zearalenone and related derivatives, fumonisins, enniatins, ergot alkaloids, ochratoxins, aflatoxins and moniliformin. The large number and the chemical diversity of the analytes required the application of the positive as well as the negative ion ESI mode in two consecutive chromatographic runs of 21 min each. The solvent mixture acetonitrile/water/acetic acid 79 + 20 + 1 (v/v/v) has been determined as the best compromise for the extraction of the analytes from wheat and maize. Raw extracts were diluted 1 + 1 and were injected without any clean-up. Ion-suppression effects due to co-eluting matrix components were negligible in the case of wheat, whereas significant signal suppression for 12 analytes was observed in maize, causing purely proportional systematic errors. Method performance characteristics were determined after spiking blank samples on multiple levels in triplicate. Coefficients of variation of the overall process of <5.1% and <3.0% were obtained for wheat and maize, respectively, from linear calibration data. Limits of detection ranged from 0.03 to 220 microg/kg. Apparent recoveries (including both the recoveries of the extraction step and matrix effects) were within the range of 100 +/- 10% for approximately half of the analytes. In extreme cases the apparent recoveries dropped to about 20%, but this could be compensated for to a large extent by the application of matrix-matched standards to correct for matrix-induced signal suppression, as only a few analytes such as nivalenol and the fumonisins exhibited incomplete extraction. For deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, the trueness of the method was confirmed through the analysis of certified reference materials.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

High-resolution detection of adulteration of maize oil using multi-component compound-specific delta13C values of major and minor components and discriminant analysis.

Maize oil commands a premium price and is thus a target for adulteration with cheaper vegetable oils. Detection of this activity presents a particular challenge to the analyst because of the natural variability in the fatty acid composition of maize oils and because of their high sterol and tocopherol contents. This paper describes a method that allows detection of adulteration at concentrations of just 5% (m/m), based on the Mahalanobis distances of the principal component scores of the delta(13)C values of major and minor vegetable oil components. The method makes use of a database consisting of delta(13)C values and relative abundances of the major fatty acyl components of over 150 vegetable oils. The sterols and tocopherols of 16 maize oils and 6 potential adulterant oils were found to be depleted in (13)C by a constant amount relative to the bulk oil. Moreover, since maize oil contains particularly high levels of sterols and tocopherols, their delta(13)C values were not significantly altered when groundnut oil was added up to 20% (m/m) and it is possible to use the values for the minor components to predict the values that would be expected in a pure oil; therefore, comparison of the predicted values with those obtained experimentally allows adulteration to be detected. A refinement involved performing a discriminant analysis on the delta(13)C values of the bulk oil and the major fatty acids (16:0, 18:1 and 18:2) and using the Mahalanobis distances to determine the percentage of adulterant oil present. This approach may be refined further by including the delta(13)C values of the minor components in the discriminant analysis thereby increasing the sensitivity of the approach to concentrations at which adulteration would not be attractive economically.

Carbon Isotopes↗

Partial purification and characterization of maize-leaf pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase regulatory protein: a low-abundance, mesophyll-chloroplast stromal protein.

The C4 mesophyll-chloroplast stromal enzyme pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) regulatory protein (RP) catalyzes the activation/dephosphorylation and inactivation/phosphorylation of PPDK. This bifunctional converter enzyme has been partially purified from maize leaf extracts approximately 100-fold to a final specific PPDK-inactivation activity of 3-10 units PPDK/min/mg protein and an overall recovery of 1-5%. Purification of active RP was accomplished by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation and sequential column chromatography on dye-ligand and size-exclusion or FPLC-based anion-exchange matrices. Immunoblot analyses of size-exclusion and anion-exchange fractionated preparations indicate that NADP-malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase are major contaminants, respectively. During sequential dye-ligand and anion-exchange chromatography, RP activity copurifies with a approximately 48-kDa polypeptide on silver-stained denaturing gels. Both RP activities are readily detected in maize mesophyll-chloroplast stromal extracts, but unlike stromal PPDK and NADP-MDH, the putative, approximately 48-kDa RP polypeptide is barely detectable in silver-stained gels. Our collective data indicate that RP constitutes < 0.04% of the total soluble maize-leaf protein and < 1% of its target enzyme, contrary to a previous report. PPDK-inactivation and -activation activities are quantitatively equivalent in light- and dark-adapted maize-leaf tissue rapidly extracted and assayed at either pH 7.0 or 8.0, suggesting that the opposing RP activities are not regulated differentially by reversible covalent modification or pH effects.

Chloroplasts↗

Further analysis of maize C(4) pyruvate,orthophosphate dikinase phosphorylation by its bifunctional regulatory protein using selective substitutions of the regulatory Thr-456 and catalytic His-458 residues.

In C(4) plants such as maize, pyruvate,orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) catalyzes the regeneration of the initial carboxylation substrate during C(4) photosynthesis. The primary catalytic residue, His-458 (maize C(4) PPDK), is involved in the ultimate transfer of the beta-phosphate from ATP to pyruvate. C(4) PPDK activity undergoes light-dark regulation in vivo by reversible phosphorylation of a nearby active-site residue (Thr-456) by a single bifunctional regulatory protein (RP). Using site-directed mutagenesis of maize recombinant C(4) dikinase, we made substitutions at the catalytic His residue (H458N) and at this regulatory target Thr (T456E, T456Y, T456F). Each of these affinity-purified mutant enzymes was assayed for changes in dikinase activity. As expected, substituting His-458 with Asn results in a catalytically incompetent enzyme. Substitutions of the Thr-456 residue with Tyr and Phe reduced activity by about 94 and 99%, respectively. Insertion of Glu at this position completely abolished activity, presumably by the introduction of negative charge proximal to the catalytic His. Furthermore, neither the T456Y nor inactive H458N mutant enzyme was phosphorylated in vitro by RP. The inability of the former to serve as a phosphorylation substrate indicates that RP is functionally a member of the Ser/Thr family of protein kinases rather than a "dual-specificity" Ser-Thr/Tyr kinase, since our previous work showed that RP effectively phosphorylated Ser inserted at position 456. The inability of RP to phosphorylate its native target Thr residue when Asn is substituted for His-458 documents that RP requires the His-P catalytic intermediate form of PPDK as its protein substrate. For these latter studies, synthetic phosphopeptide-directed antibodies specific for the Thr(456)-P form of maize C(4) PPDK were developed and characterized.

Amino Acid Substitution↗