A Zea genus-specific micropeptide controls kernel dehydration in maize

作者：Yanhui Yu, Wenqiang Li, Yuanfang Liu, Yanjun Liu, Qinzhi Zhang, Yidan Ouyang, Ding Wenya, Yu Xue, Yilin Zou, Junjun Yan, Junjun Yan, Anqiang Jia, Jiali Yan, Jiali Yan, Xinfei Hao, Yujie Gou, Zhaowei Zhai, Longyu Liu, Yang Zheng, Bao Zhang, Jieting Xu, Ning Yang, Yingjie Xiao, Lin Zhuo, Zhibing Lai, Ping Yin, Hai-Jun Liu, Alisdair R. Fernie, David G. Jackson, Jianbing Yan, Jianbing Yan · 发表于：Cell · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.030 · 被引用次数：68 · 研究领域：Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism、Plant Molecular Biology Research、Plant Reproductive Biology

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.