The retromer protein ZmVPS29 regulates maize kernel morphology likely through an auxin‐dependent process(es)

Summary Kernel size and morphology are two important yield‐determining traits in maize, but their molecular and genetic mechanisms are poorly characterized. Here, we identified a major QTL, qKM4.08, which explains approximately 24.20% of the kernel morphology variance in a recombinant population der...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant biotechnology journal 2020-04, Vol.18 (4), p.1004-1014
Main Authors: Chen, Lin, Li, Yong‐Xiang, Li, Chunhui, Shi, Yunsu, Song, Yanchun, Zhang, Dengfeng, Wang, Haiyang, Li, Yu, Wang, Tianyu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Alleles
auxin
Biosynthesis
Cloning
Corn
Domestication
Genes
Genetic analysis
Inbreeding
kernel morphology
Kernels
maize
Morphology
Plant breeding
Population
Proteins
Quantitative trait loci
retromer
Sequence analysis
ZmVPS29
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Summary:Summary Kernel size and morphology are two important yield‐determining traits in maize, but their molecular and genetic mechanisms are poorly characterized. Here, we identified a major QTL, qKM4.08, which explains approximately 24.20% of the kernel morphology variance in a recombinant population derived from two elite maize inbred lines, Huangzaosi (HZS, round kernel) and LV28 (slender kernel). Positional cloning and transgenic analysis revealed that qKM4.08 encodes ZmVPS29, a retromer complex component. Compared with the ZmVPS29 HZS allele, the ZmVPS29 LV28 allele showed higher expression in developing kernels. Overexpression of ZmVPS29 conferred a slender kernel morphology and increased the yield per plant in different maize genetic backgrounds. Sequence analysis revealed that ZmVPS29 has been under purifying selection during maize domestication. Association analyses identified two significant kernel morphology‐associated polymorphic sites in the ZmVPS29 promoter region that were significantly enriched in modern maize breeding lines. Further study showed that ZmVPS29 increased auxin accumulation during early kernel development by enhancing auxin biosynthesis and transport and reducing auxin degradation and thereby improved kernel development. Our results suggest that ZmVPS29 regulates kernel morphology, most likely through an auxin‐dependent process(es).
ISSN:1467-7644
1467-7652
DOI:10.1111/pbi.13267