Maize genotypes vary significantly in their nitrogen use efficiencies（NUEs）.Better understanding of early grain filling characteristics of maize is important,especially for maize with different NUEs.The objectives o...Maize genotypes vary significantly in their nitrogen use efficiencies（NUEs）.Better understanding of early grain filling characteristics of maize is important,especially for maize with different NUEs.The objectives of this research were（i）to investigate the difference in apical kernel development of maize with different NUEs,（ii）to determine the reaction of apical kernel development to N application levels,and（iii）to evaluate the relationship between apical kernel development and grain yield（GY）for different genotypes of maize.Three maize hybrid varieties with different NUEs were cultivated in a field with different levels of N fertilizer arranged during two growing seasons.Kernel fresh weight（KFW）,volume（KV）and dry weight（KDW）of apical kernel were evaluated at an early grain filling stage.Ear characteristics,GY and its components were determined at maturity stage.Apical kernel of the high N and high efficiency（HN-HE）type（under low N,the yield is lower,and under higher N,the yield is higher）developed better under high N（N210 and N240,pure N of 210 and 240 kg ha^–1）than at low N（N120 and N140,pure N of 120 and 140 kg ha^–1）.The low N and high efficiency（LN-HE）type（under low N,the yield is higher,while under higher N,the yield is not significantly higher）developed better under low N than at high N.The double high efficiency（D-HE）type（for both low and high N,the yield is higher）performed well under both high and low N.Apical kernel reacted differently to the N supply.Apical kernel developed well at an early grain filling stage and resulted in a higher kernel number（KN）,kernel weight（KW）and GY with better ear characteristics at maturity.展开更多
In plants, proper seed development and the continuing post-embryonic organogenesis both require that dif- ferent cell types are correctly differentiated in response to internal and external stimuli. Among internal sti...In plants, proper seed development and the continuing post-embryonic organogenesis both require that dif- ferent cell types are correctly differentiated in response to internal and external stimuli. Among internal stimuli, plant hormones and particularly auxin and its polar transport （PAT） have been shown to regulate a multitude of plant phys- iological processes during vegetative and reproductive development. Although our current auxin knowledge is almost based on the results from researches on the eudicot Arabidopsis thaliana, during the last few years, many studies tried to transfer this knowledge from model to crop species, maize in particular. Applications of auxin transport inhibitors, mutant characterization, and molecular and cell biology approaches, facilitated by the sequencing of the maize genome, allowed the identification of genes involved in auxin metabolism, signaling, and particularly in polar auxin transport. PIN auxin efflux carriers have been shown to play an essential role in regulating PAT during both seed and post-embryonic development in maize. In this review, we provide a summary of the recent findings on PIN-mediated polar auxin transport during maize development. Similarities and differences between maize and Arabidopsis are analyzed and discussed, also considering that their different plant architecture depends on the differentiation of structures whose development is con- trolled by auxins.展开更多
RNA editing is a posttranscriptional process that is important in mitochondria and plastids of higher plants. All RNA editing-specific trans-factors reported so far belong to PLS-class of pentatricopeptide repeat(PPR)...RNA editing is a posttranscriptional process that is important in mitochondria and plastids of higher plants. All RNA editing-specific trans-factors reported so far belong to PLS-class of pentatricopeptide repeat(PPR)proteins. Here, we report the map-based cloning and molecular characterization of a defective kernel mutant dek39 in maize. Loss of Dek39 function leads to delayed embryogenesis and endosperm development, reduced kernel size, and seedling lethality. Dek39 encodes an E subclass PPR protein that targets to both mitochondria and chloroplasts, and is involved in RNA editing in mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase3(nad3) at nad3-247 and nad3-275. C-to-U editing of nad3-275 is not conserved and even lost in Arabidopsis, consistent with the idea that no close DEK39 homologs are present in Arabidopsis. However, the amino acids generated by editing nad3-247 and nad3-275 are highly conserved in many other plant species, and the reductions of editing at these two sites decrease the activity of mitochondria NADH dehydrogenase complex I,indicating that the alteration of amino acid sequence is necessary for Nad3 function. Our results indicate that Dek39 encodes an E sub-class PPR protein that is involved in RNA editing of multiple sites and is necessary for seed development of maize.展开更多
Developing the next plant generation within the seed requires the coordination of complex programs driving pattern formation, growth, and differentiation of the three main seed compartments： the embryo （future plant...Developing the next plant generation within the seed requires the coordination of complex programs driving pattern formation, growth, and differentiation of the three main seed compartments： the embryo （future plant）, the endosperm （storage compartment）, representing the two filial tissues, and the surround- ing maternal tissues. This review focuses on the signaling pathways and molecular players involved in early maize kernel development. In the 2 weeks following pollination, functional tissues are shaped from single cells, readying the kernel for filling with storage compounds. Although the overall picture of the signaling pathways regulating embryo and endosperm development remains fragmentary, several types of molecu- lar actors, such as hormones, sugars, or peptides, have been shown to be involved in particular aspects of these developmental processes. These molecular actors are likely to be components of signaling pathways that lead to transcriptional programming mediated by transcriptional factors. Through the integrated action of these components, multiple types of information received by cells or tissues lead to the correct differentiation and patterning of kernel compartments. In this review, recent advances regarding the four types of molecular actors （hormones, sugars, peptides/receptors, and transcription factors） involved in early maize development are presented.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31271645)the Agricultural Science and Technology Project of Shanxi Province, China (20140311007-4)
文摘Maize genotypes vary significantly in their nitrogen use efficiencies（NUEs）.Better understanding of early grain filling characteristics of maize is important,especially for maize with different NUEs.The objectives of this research were（i）to investigate the difference in apical kernel development of maize with different NUEs,（ii）to determine the reaction of apical kernel development to N application levels,and（iii）to evaluate the relationship between apical kernel development and grain yield（GY）for different genotypes of maize.Three maize hybrid varieties with different NUEs were cultivated in a field with different levels of N fertilizer arranged during two growing seasons.Kernel fresh weight（KFW）,volume（KV）and dry weight（KDW）of apical kernel were evaluated at an early grain filling stage.Ear characteristics,GY and its components were determined at maturity stage.Apical kernel of the high N and high efficiency（HN-HE）type（under low N,the yield is lower,and under higher N,the yield is higher）developed better under high N（N210 and N240,pure N of 210 and 240 kg ha^–1）than at low N（N120 and N140,pure N of 120 and 140 kg ha^–1）.The low N and high efficiency（LN-HE）type（under low N,the yield is higher,while under higher N,the yield is not significantly higher）developed better under low N than at high N.The double high efficiency（D-HE）type（for both low and high N,the yield is higher）performed well under both high and low N.Apical kernel reacted differently to the N supply.Apical kernel developed well at an early grain filling stage and resulted in a higher kernel number（KN）,kernel weight（KW）and GY with better ear characteristics at maturity.
文摘In plants, proper seed development and the continuing post-embryonic organogenesis both require that dif- ferent cell types are correctly differentiated in response to internal and external stimuli. Among internal stimuli, plant hormones and particularly auxin and its polar transport （PAT） have been shown to regulate a multitude of plant phys- iological processes during vegetative and reproductive development. Although our current auxin knowledge is almost based on the results from researches on the eudicot Arabidopsis thaliana, during the last few years, many studies tried to transfer this knowledge from model to crop species, maize in particular. Applications of auxin transport inhibitors, mutant characterization, and molecular and cell biology approaches, facilitated by the sequencing of the maize genome, allowed the identification of genes involved in auxin metabolism, signaling, and particularly in polar auxin transport. PIN auxin efflux carriers have been shown to play an essential role in regulating PAT during both seed and post-embryonic development in maize. In this review, we provide a summary of the recent findings on PIN-mediated polar auxin transport during maize development. Similarities and differences between maize and Arabidopsis are analyzed and discussed, also considering that their different plant architecture depends on the differentiation of structures whose development is con- trolled by auxins.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91435206 31421005)+1 种基金National Key Technologies Research & Development ProgramSeven Major Crops Breeding Project (2016YFD0101803, 2016YFD0100404)the 948 project (2016-X33)
文摘RNA editing is a posttranscriptional process that is important in mitochondria and plastids of higher plants. All RNA editing-specific trans-factors reported so far belong to PLS-class of pentatricopeptide repeat(PPR)proteins. Here, we report the map-based cloning and molecular characterization of a defective kernel mutant dek39 in maize. Loss of Dek39 function leads to delayed embryogenesis and endosperm development, reduced kernel size, and seedling lethality. Dek39 encodes an E subclass PPR protein that targets to both mitochondria and chloroplasts, and is involved in RNA editing in mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase3(nad3) at nad3-247 and nad3-275. C-to-U editing of nad3-275 is not conserved and even lost in Arabidopsis, consistent with the idea that no close DEK39 homologs are present in Arabidopsis. However, the amino acids generated by editing nad3-247 and nad3-275 are highly conserved in many other plant species, and the reductions of editing at these two sites decrease the activity of mitochondria NADH dehydrogenase complex I,indicating that the alteration of amino acid sequence is necessary for Nad3 function. Our results indicate that Dek39 encodes an E sub-class PPR protein that is involved in RNA editing of multiple sites and is necessary for seed development of maize.
文摘Developing the next plant generation within the seed requires the coordination of complex programs driving pattern formation, growth, and differentiation of the three main seed compartments： the embryo （future plant）, the endosperm （storage compartment）, representing the two filial tissues, and the surround- ing maternal tissues. This review focuses on the signaling pathways and molecular players involved in early maize kernel development. In the 2 weeks following pollination, functional tissues are shaped from single cells, readying the kernel for filling with storage compounds. Although the overall picture of the signaling pathways regulating embryo and endosperm development remains fragmentary, several types of molecu- lar actors, such as hormones, sugars, or peptides, have been shown to be involved in particular aspects of these developmental processes. These molecular actors are likely to be components of signaling pathways that lead to transcriptional programming mediated by transcriptional factors. Through the integrated action of these components, multiple types of information received by cells or tissues lead to the correct differentiation and patterning of kernel compartments. In this review, recent advances regarding the four types of molecular actors （hormones, sugars, peptides/receptors, and transcription factors） involved in early maize development are presented.
