RNA-Seq Revealed the Molecular Mechanism of Nutritional Quality Improvement in o16-wx Double-Mutation Maize

Zhoujie Ma, Peizhen Wu, Lei Deng, Kaiwu Zhang, Wenpeng Yang, Hong Ren, Li Song () and Wei Wang ()
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Zhoujie Ma: Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Peizhen Wu: Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Lei Deng: Guizhou Institute of Upland Food Crops, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, China
Kaiwu Zhang: Guizhou Institute of Upland Food Crops, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, China
Wenpeng Yang: Guizhou Institute of Upland Food Crops, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, China
Hong Ren: Guizhou Institute of Upland Food Crops, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, China
Li Song: Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
Wei Wang: Guizhou Institute of Upland Food Crops, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, China

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: The enhancement of the nutritional composition of maize grains could be achieved by the introduction of a mutation with a heightened lysine content. To obtain double-recessive mutant lines for the o16 and wx genes, a molecular-marker-assisted selection technique was used to backcross them into conventional maize lines. The resultant maize was subsequently utilized to explore the molecular mechanism responsible for the maize’s nutritional quality. Based on this, an RNA-seq investigation was conducted using the employing kernels during the development period of maize kernel (18, 28, and 38 DAP) to examine the gene expression involved in amino metabolism. The results revealed that a total of 27 and 34 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in tryptophan metabolism and lysine metabolism, respectively, across three time periods. In the lysine synthesis pathway, the genes encoding AK, ASD, and DapF were found to be up-regulated at various stages, encouraging lysine synthesis. Conversely, in the lysine degradation pathway, the genes encoding ALDH7A1 and LKR/SDH were down-regulated, suggesting an increase in lysine content. In the process of tryptophan metabolism, the down-regulation of genes encoding TAA and ALDH led to an increase in tryptophan content. In addition, the down-regulation of genes encoding α-zein resulted in a decrease in zein content, thereby enhancing the nutritional quality of maize. These findings hold substantial significance for elucidating the transcriptional-level molecular mechanism, underlying the accumulation of o16 and wx genes to improve maize grain quality, as well as offering valuable insight for the development of biomarkers and gene editing.

Keywords: opaque16; lysine; tryptophan; RNA-seq; Zea mays L. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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