A LTR retrotransposon insertion leads to leafy phenotype in maize by elevating ZmOM66 expression

Xuemei Du, Zhuoyi Xu, Jiawen Lu, Yan Chen, Xinpeng Gao, Jie Zhang, Cheng He, Liying Huang, Wei Guo, Yangbo Cui, Xiaoli Wang, Junmin Ai, Li Li, Yu Cui, Yunjun Liu, Junjie Fu, Riliang Gu (), Jianhua Wang () and Guoying Wang ()
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Xuemei Du: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Zhuoyi Xu: China Agricultural University
Jiawen Lu: China Agricultural University
Yan Chen: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Xinpeng Gao: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Jie Zhang: China Agricultural University
Cheng He: China Agricultural University
Liying Huang: China Agricultural University
Wei Guo: China Agricultural University
Yangbo Cui: China Agricultural University
Xiaoli Wang: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Junmin Ai: China Agricultural University
Li Li: China Agricultural University
Yu Cui: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Yunjun Liu: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Junjie Fu: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Riliang Gu: China Agricultural University
Jianhua Wang: China Agricultural University
Guoying Wang: Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Leafy (Lfy1) is a classical dominant mutant showing more leaf number above primary ear and later flowering time in maize, but the causal gene together with its underlying genetic mechanism are unknown. Here, we report the cloning of Lfy1 mutant, and find that a retrotransposon insertion leads to leafy phenotype by elevating expression of its neighboring gene ZmOM66. ZmOM66 encodes an AAA+ ATPase that locate in mitochondria and interacts with itself. ZmOM66 overexpression affects the starch degradation, as well as contents of glucose, pyruvic acid, trehalose-6-phosphate, and TCA cycle related amino acids, and influences expression patterns of circadian clock genes. Moreover, expressions of floral related genes, including photoperiod regulated gene ZmPHYB1, integrator genes ZCN7, ZNC8 and ZCN12, and floral meristem identity genes ZMM4, ZMM15, and MASD67, are also significantly decreased by ZmOM66 overexpression. These results deepen our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of floral transition and leaf number in plant.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57811-9

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