TaNAM-6A is essential for nitrogen remobilisation and regulates grain protein content in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Grain protein content (GPC) is a crucial quality trait in bread wheat, which is influenced by the key transcription factor TaNAM. However, the regulatory mechanisms of TaNAM have remained largely elusive. In this study, a new role of TaNAM was unveiled in regulating nitrogen remobilisation which impacts GPC.

Reshaped DNA methylation cooperating with homoeolog-divergent expression promotes improved root traits in synthesized tetraploid wheat.

Polyploidization is a major event driving plant evolution and domestication. However, how reshaped epigenetic modifications coordinate gene transcription to generate phenotypic variations during wheat polyploidization is currently elusive. Here, we profiled transcriptomes and DNA methylomes of two diploid wheat accessions (SS and AA) and their synthetic allotetraploid wheat line (SSAA), which displayed elongated root hair and improved root capability for nitrate uptake and assimilation after tetraploidization.

The TaTCP4/10-B1 cascade regulates awn elongation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Awns are important morphological markers for wheat and exert a strong physiological effect on wheat yield. The awn elongation suppressor B1 has recently been cloned through association and linkage analysis in wheat. However, the mechanism of awn inhibition centered around B1 remains to be clarified.

Positional cloning and characterization reveal the role of a miRNA precursor gene ZmLRT in the regulation of lateral root number and drought tolerance in maize.

Lateral roots play essential roles in drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.). However, the genetic basis for the variation in the number of lateral roots in maize remains elusive.

Overexpression of alters plant architecture and heading date in transgenic wheat.

Lateral organ boundaries domain (LBD) proteins, a class of plant-specific transcription factors with a special domain of lateral organ boundaries (LOB), play essential roles in plant growth and development. However, there is little known about the functions of these genes in wheat to date. Our previous study demonstrated that is conducive to increasing lateral root number in wheat.

Heat Stress Tolerance 2 confers basal heat stress tolerance in allohexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Heat stress substantially reduces the yield potential of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), one of the most widely cultivated staple crops, and greatly threatens global food security in the context of global warming. However, few studies have explored the heat stress tolerance (HST)-related genetic resources in wheat.

Identification and characterization of QTL for spike morphological traits, plant height and heading date derived from the D genome of natural and resynthetic allohexaploid wheat.

QHd.cau-7D.1 for heading date was delimited into the physical interval of approximately 17.

The decreased expression of GW2 homologous genes contributed to the increased grain width and thousand‑grain weight in wheat-Dasypyrum villosum 6VS·6DL translocation lines.

This study demonstrated that the aberrant transcription of DvGW2 contributed to the increased grain width and thousand-grain weight in wheat-Dasypyrum villosum T6VS·6DL translocation lines. Due to the high immunity to powdery mildew, Dasypyrum villosum 6VS has been one of the most successful applications of the wild relatives in modern wheat breeding. Along with the desired traits, side-effects could be brought when large alien chromosome fragments are introduced into wheat, but little is known about effects of 6VS on agronomic traits.

A C-terminal encoded peptide, ZmCEP1, is essential for kernel development in maize.

C-terminal encoded peptides (CEPs) are peptide hormones which act as mobile signals coordinating important developmental programs. Previous studies have unraveled that CEPs are able to regulate plant growth and abiotic stress via cell-to-cell communication in Arabidopsis and rice; however, little is known about their roles in maize. Here, we examined the spatiotemporal expression pattern of ZmCEP1 and showed that ZmCEP1 is highly expressed in young ears and tassels of maize, particularly in the vascular bundles of ears.

Ectopic expression of VRT-A2 underlies the origin of Triticum polonicum and Triticum petropavlovskyi with long outer glumes and grains.

Polish wheat (Triticum polonicum) is a unique tetraploid wheat species characterized by an elongated outer glume. The genetic control of the long-glume trait by a single semi-dominant locus, P1 (from Polish wheat), was established more than 100 years ago, but the underlying causal gene and molecular nature remain elusive. Here, we report the isolation of VRT-A2, encoding an SVP-clade MADS-box transcription factor, as the P1 candidate gene.

A kelch-repeat superfamily gene, ZmNL4, controls leaf width in maize (Zea mays L.).

Leaf width (LW) is an important component of plant architecture that extensively affects both light capture during photosynthesis and grain yield, particularly under dense planting conditions. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating LW remain largely elusive in maize (Zea mays L.).

FRIZZY PANICLE defines a regulatory hub for simultaneously controlling spikelet formation and awn elongation in bread wheat.

Grain yield in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is largely determined by inflorescence architecture. Zang734 is an endemic Tibetan wheat variety that exhibits a rare triple spikelet (TRS) phenotype with significantly increased spikelet/floret number per spike.

Histone acetyltransferase GCN5-mediated regulation of long non-coding RNA At4 contributes to phosphate starvation response in Arabidopsis.

Phosphate availability is becoming a limiting environmental factor that inhibits plant growth and development. Here, we demonstrated that mutation of the histone acetyltransferase GCN5 impaired phosphate starvation responses (PSRs) in Arabidopsis. Transcriptome analysis revealed that 888 GCN5-regulated candidate genes were potentially involved in responding to phosphate starvation.

GCN5 contributes to stem cuticular wax biosynthesis by histone acetylation of CER3 in Arabidopsis.

Cuticular wax is a major component of the surface cuticle of plants, which performs crucial functions in optimizing plant growth. Histone acetylation regulates gene expression in diverse biological processes, but its role in cuticular wax synthesis is not well understood. In this study, we observed that mutations of the Arabidopsis thaliana histone acetyltransferase GENERAL CONTROL NON-REPRESSED PROTEIN5 (GCN5) impaired the accumulation of stem cuticular wax.

The E3 Ligase TaSAP5 Alters Drought Stress Responses by Promoting the Degradation of DRIP Proteins.

In Arabidopsis () plants growing under normal conditions, DEHYDRATION-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING PROTEIN2A (DREB2A) is present at low levels because it is ubiquitinated and destabilized by DREB2A INTERACTING PROTEIN1 (DRIP1) and DRIP2 through 26S proteasome-mediated proteolysis. Drought stress counteracts the ubiquitination and proteolysis of DREB2A, thus allowing the accumulation of sufficient amounts of DREB2A protein to activate downstream gene expression. The mechanisms leading to drought stress-mediated DREB2A accumulation are still unclear.

Histone acetyltransferase general control non-repressed protein 5 (GCN5) affects the fatty acid composition of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds by acetylating fatty acid desaturase3 (FAD3).

Seed oils are important natural resources used in the processing and preparation of food. Histone modifications represent key epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression, plant growth and development. However, histone modification events during fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis are not well understood.

Ectopic expression of a maize hybrid up-regulated gene, ErbB-3 binding Protein 1 (ZmEBP1), increases organ size by promoting cell proliferation in Arabidopsis.

The alteration of gene expression in hybrids may be an important factor promoting phenotypic variation and plasticity. To provide insight into the underlying molecular basis of maize heterosis in terms of the kernel number per ear, we established DGE profiles for the immature ears of maize hybrid Zong3/87-1 and its parental lines at the floral organ differentiation stage. Among 4,337 identified differentially expressed genes, 4,021 (92%) exhibited nonadditive expression patterns in the hybrid.

Proteomic patterns associated with heterosis.

Heterosis is characterized by higher seed yields, plant biomass or other traits in heterozygotes or hybrids compared with their genetically divergent parents, which are often homozygous. Despite extensive investigation of heterosis and its wide application in crops such as maize, rice, wheat and sorghum, its molecular basis is still enigmatic. In the past century, some pioneers have proposed multigene models referring to the complementation of allelic and gene expression variation, which is likely to be an important contributor to heterosis.

Histone acetyltransferase GCN5 is essential for heat stress-responsive gene activation and thermotolerance in Arabidopsis.

Exposure to temperatures exceeding the normal optimum levels, or heat stress (HS), constitutes an environmental disruption for plants, resulting in severe growth and development retardation. Here we show that loss of function of the Arabidopsis histone acetyltransferase GCN5 results in serious defects in terms of thermotolerance, and considerably impairs the transcriptional activation of HS-responsive genes. Notably, expression of several key regulators such as the HS transcription factors HSFA2 and HSFA3, Multiprotein Bridging Factor 1c (MBF1c) and UV-HYPERSENSITIVE 6 (UVH6) is down-regulated in the gcn5 mutant under HS compared with the wild-type.

Epigenetic regulation of iron homeostasis in Arabidopsis.

Iron (Fe) is one of the most important microelement required for plant growth and development because of its unique property of catalyzing oxidation/reduction reactions. Iron deficiency impairs fundamental processes which could lead to a decrease in chlorophyll production and pollen fertility, thus influencing crop productivity and quality. However, iron in excess is toxic to the cell and is harmful to the plant.

GENERAL CONTROL NONREPRESSED PROTEIN5-Mediated Histone Acetylation of FERRIC REDUCTASE DEFECTIVE3 Contributes to Iron Homeostasis in Arabidopsis.

Iron homeostasis is essential for plant growth and development. Here, we report that a mutation in GENERAL CONTROL NONREPRESSED PROTEIN5 (GCN5) impaired iron translocation from the root to the shoot in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Illumina high-throughput sequencing revealed 879 GCN5-regulated candidate genes potentially involved in iron homeostasis.

Ectopic expression of a maize hybrid down-regulated gene ZmARF25 decreases organ size by affecting cellular proliferation in Arabidopsis.

Heterosis is associated with differential gene expression between hybrids and their parental lines, and the genes involved in cell proliferation played important roles. AtARF2 is a general cell proliferation repressor in Arabidopsis. In our previous study, two homologues (ZmARF10 and ZmARF25) of AtARF2 were identified in maize, but their relationship with heterosis was not elucidated.