Dynamic localization of SPO11-1 and conformational changes of meiotic axial elements during recombination initiation of maize meiosis.

Meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs) are generated by the evolutionarily conserved SPO11 complex in the context of chromatin loops that are organized along axial elements (AEs) of chromosomes. However, how DSBs are formed with respect to chromosome axes and the SPO11 complex remains unclear in plants. Here, we confirm that DSB and bivalent formation are defective in maize spo11-1 mutants.

Sugar starvation-regulated MYBS2 and 14-3-3 protein interactions enhance plant growth, stress tolerance, and grain weight in rice.

Autotrophic plants have evolved distinctive mechanisms for maintaining a range of homeostatic states for sugars. The on/off switch of reversible gene expression by sugar starvation/provision represents one of the major mechanisms by which sugar levels are maintained, but the details remain unclear. α-Amylase (αAmy) is the key enzyme for hydrolyzing starch into sugars for plant growth, and it is induced by sugar starvation and repressed by sugar provision.

The Axial Element Protein DESYNAPTIC2 Mediates Meiotic Double-Strand Break Formation and Synaptonemal Complex Assembly in Maize.

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and recombine via repair of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs are formed in the context of chromatin loops, which are anchored to the proteinaceous axial element (AE). The AE later serves as a framework to assemble the synaptonemal complex (SC) that provides a transient but tight connection between homologous chromosomes.