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Results for “teosinte”

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PubMed2025

Characterization of phosphorylation variants for identifying adaptive alleles in Zea.

Large-scale genome sequencing of maize wild species (teosinte) has uncovered thousands of genetic mutations, but distinguishing causal alleles from neutral variations remains a significant challenge. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of phosphorylation-associated single-nucleotide variations (pSNVs) to enhance our understanding of adaptive variations in the Zea genus. We collected 234 teosinte genomes from seven different taxa and 507 cultivated maize genomes to identify single-nucleotide variants that target phosphorylation machinery, which is crucial for plant development and environmental adaptation. Our analysis identified 33 687 pSNVs within the Zea genus and revealed a reduction in genetic conservation along with an increase in protein abundance and expression for genes harboring pSNVs. Additionally, pSNVs present stronger purifying selection pressures compared with other missense mutations. We found that maize possesses fewer pSNVs than teosinte, likely due to the effects of selection and hitchhiking. By examining the role of pSNVs related to kinase-substrate rewriting events and exhibiting evolutionary divergence jointly, our results suggest that pSNVs impact multiple traits, particularly flowering time variation between teosinte and maize. Furthermore, we documented the widespread presence of pSNVs in Arabidopsis thaliana, rice, and wheat, identifying 46 pSNVs that have convergently evolved between maize and other species. Our study provides another insight into uncovering adaptive alleles in wild species by incorporating protein signaling sites and emphasizes the potential of utilizing wild species for future crop improvement.

Zea mays↗

PubMed2026

Evolution of maize recombination landscape during domestication.

Despite the plethora of knowledge about the benefits of meiotic recombination and numerous theoretical studies examining how recombination rates evolve, there is a general lack of empirical support and consensus across species. To fill this knowledge gap, we characterized the evolution of recombination landscape in maize during its domestication from teosinte and related the observed changes to established theoretical frameworks. Through examining recombination in experimental populations of maize and teosinte and the population genomics approach of identifying historical recombination events using ancestral recombination graph inference to generate saturated maize and teosinte recombination maps, we found that during domestication, maize experienced a 12% increase in its genome-wide recombination rate. Furthermore, maize evolved higher recombination rates on the long arms of chromosomes in regions closer to centromeres, where recombination is generally very low. The repatterning of crossover events came from changes in global crossover positioning rather than alterations in cis-acting chromatin factors. Consequently, we found evidence of selection acting on trans-acting recombination modifiers affecting crossover interference and controlling the interference-dependent class I crossover pathway. We show that CO repatterning was likely beneficial for maize fitness, as significant recombination rate increases were predominantly in gene-rich regions, which harbor domestication-related variation. This work suggests genomic and mechanistic processes leading to the evolution of meiotic recombination landscape in response to directional selection pressure and provides evidence for the evolutionary advantage of recombination.

Zea mays↗

PubMed2024

Premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are present in the Zea genus and unique in biogenesis mechanism and molecular function.

Reproductive phasiRNAs (phased, small interfering RNAs) are broadly present in angiosperms and play crucial roles in sustaining male fertility. While the premeiotic 21-nt (nucleotides) phasiRNAs and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNA pathways have been extensively studied in maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa), a third putative category of reproductive phasiRNAs-named premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs-have recently been reported in barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). To determine whether premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are also present in maize and related species and begin to characterize their biogenesis and function, we performed a comparative transcriptome and degradome analysis of premeiotic and meiotic anthers from five maize inbred lines and three teosinte species/subspecies. Our data indicate that a substantial subset of the 24-nt phasiRNA loci in maize and teosinte are already highly expressed at the premeiotic phase. The premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are similar to meiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs in genomic origin and dependence on DCL5 (Dicer-like 5) for biogenesis, however, premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are unique in that they are likely i) not triggered by microRNAs, ii) not loaded by AGO18 proteins, and iii) not capable of mediating PHAS precursor cleavage. In addition, we also observed a group of premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs in rice using previously published data. Together, our results indicate that the premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs constitute a unique class of reproductive phasiRNAs and are present more broadly in the grass family (Poaceae) than previously known.

Zea mays↗

PubMed2024

Premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are present in the Zea genus and unique in biogenesis mechanism and molecular function.

Reproductive phasiRNAs are broadly present in angiosperms and play crucial roles in sustaining male fertility. While the premeiotic 21-nt phasiRNAs and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNA pathways have been extensively studied in maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa), a third putative category of reproductive phasiRNAs-named premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs-have recently been reported in barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). To determine whether premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are also present in maize and related species and begin to characterize their biogenesis and function, we performed a comparative transcriptome and degradome analysis of premeiotic and meiotic anthers from five maize inbred lines and three teosinte species/subspecies. Our data indicate that a substantial subset of the 24-nt phasiRNA loci in maize and teosinte are already highly expressed at premeiotic phase. The premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are similar to meiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs in genomic origin and dependence on DCL5 for biogenesis, however, premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are unique in that they are likely (i) not triggered by microRNAs, (ii) not loaded by AGO18 proteins, and (iii) not capable of mediating cis-cleavage. In addition, we also observed a group of premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs in rice using previously published data. Together, our results indicate that the premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs constitute a unique class of reproductive phasiRNAs and are present more broadly in the grass family (Poaceae) than previously known.

Maize↗

PubMed2026

A group of TCP transcription factors is a missing link in strigolactone signaling.

Strigolactones (SLs) are plant-specialized butenolide signaling molecules, recognized as endogenous plant hormones, that control plant development and environmental adaptation. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the repressor D53-like SMXLs regulate the expression of a vast number of genes in an EAR-motif-dependent manner to mediate SL signaling. However, it remains unclear how the SMXLs are recruited to specific genes and implement unique functions in vivo. Based on chromatin co-distribution analysis, we constructed a chromatin co-localization map of SMXL6 with 108 transcription factors. Among the candidate transcription factors, the Class II TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) family member TCP4 shows the highest frequency of chromatin co-localization with SMXL6. SMXL6 and TCP4 co‑localize at the promoter regions of 18 SL-induced SMXL6 target genes (SISGs), including BRC1. We confirmed that TCP4 interacts with SMXL6 and can bind directly to these co‑localized sites. The loss of CIN-TCPs function reduces the hormone responsiveness of the SL-induced genes. Introducing the tcp3/4/10 into SL‑deficient mutants restored the BRC1 expression to a level exceeding that of the wild type. However, the branching phenotype of the SL‑deficient mutant was only partially rescued, suggesting a limited role for BRC1 in SL‑mediated branching control and implicating the involvement of additional factors. An unexpected finding was that tcp3/4/10 rescued the dwarf phenotype of the SL‑deficient mutants, providing an opportunity to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SL‑regulated plant height. These findings demonstrate that TCP4 mediates SMXL6 chromatin recruitment during SL signaling, and provide a new understanding of how SMXL6 participates in SL signaling-mediated gene expression and plant development.

Lactones↗