Structural variation at the maize WUSCHEL1 locus alters stem cell organization in inflorescences

Zongliang Chen, Wei Li, Craig Gaines, Amy Buck, Mary Galli and Andrea Gallavotti ()
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Zongliang Chen: Rutgers University
Wei Li: Rutgers University
Craig Gaines: University of California San Diego
Amy Buck: Rutgers University
Mary Galli: Rutgers University
Andrea Gallavotti: Rutgers University

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Structural variation in plant genomes is a significant driver of phenotypic variability in traits important for the domestication and productivity of crop species. Among these are traits that depend on functional meristems, populations of stem cells maintained by the CLAVATA-WUSCHEL (CLV-WUS) negative feedback-loop that controls the expression of the WUS homeobox transcription factor. WUS function and impact on maize development and yield remain largely unexplored. Here we show that the maize dominant Barren inflorescence3 (Bif3) mutant harbors a tandem duplicated copy of the ZmWUS1 gene, ZmWUS1-B, whose novel promoter enhances transcription in a ring-like pattern. Overexpression of ZmWUS1-B is due to multimerized binding sites for type-B RESPONSE REGULATORs (RRs), key transcription factors in cytokinin signaling. Hypersensitivity to cytokinin causes stem cell overproliferation and major rearrangements of Bif3 inflorescence meristems, leading to the formation of ball-shaped ears and severely affecting productivity. These findings establish ZmWUS1 as an essential meristem size regulator in maize and highlight the striking effect of cis-regulatory variation on a key developmental program.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22699-8

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