Qiankun Fu , Huaming Duan , Junxin Wei , Wenxi Zhou , Tao Wan , Xin Zhang , Yajie Liu , Yuhan Zhou , Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid , Qingqing Yang , Fengzhong Lu , Fengling Fu , Yanli Lu , Haoqiang Yu
{"title":"Maize ZmEREB130 transcription factor negatively regulates growth and seed size","authors":"Qiankun Fu , Huaming Duan , Junxin Wei , Wenxi Zhou , Tao Wan , Xin Zhang , Yajie Liu , Yuhan Zhou , Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid , Qingqing Yang , Fengzhong Lu , Fengling Fu , Yanli Lu , Haoqiang Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.110165","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The APETALA2/Ethylene Response Element Binding Protein (AP2/EREBP) is a kind of plant-specific transcription factor and plays a pivotal role in governing plant growth, ontogenesis, and stress acclimation processes. However, the AP2 members modulating plant height and seed morphogenesis remain largely unelucidated. In the present study, the maize <em>ZmEREB130</em> gene was cloned and functionally validated in modulating growth and seed size development. Our findings demonstrated that ZmEREB130 protein harbors two conserved AP2 domains, localized to the nucleus, exhibits no self-activation activity, and is a canonical AP2 transcription factor. The results of Y2H, BiFC, and split-LUC assays revealed that ZmEREB130 undergoes homodimerization via its AP2 domain, and interacts with ZmFdx1/5. The <em>ZmEREB130</em> exhibited predominant expression in maize seeds. Heterologous expression of <em>ZmEREB130</em> in <em>Arabidopsis</em> resulted in the suppression of plant growth and reduction of seed dimensions. Phenotypic analyses demonstrated that five transgenic lines manifested reduced seedling size, diminished biomass accumulation, delayed flowering, decreased plant height, and significantly reductions in seed length, width, and weight compared to wild type plants. The results of RNA-seq, qRT-PCR, and dual-LUC assays implied that ZmEREB130 binds to the promoters of development-associated genes, modulating their transcription and ultimately impeding growth and ontogenesis of transgenic <em>Arabidopsis</em>. This study provides evidence that ZmEREB130 functions as a negative regulator of plant growth and development, thereby presenting a novel candidate gene for maize genetic improvements aiming to achieve high-yield traits via genome-editing technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 110165"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S098194282500693X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PLANT SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The APETALA2/Ethylene Response Element Binding Protein (AP2/EREBP) is a kind of plant-specific transcription factor and plays a pivotal role in governing plant growth, ontogenesis, and stress acclimation processes. However, the AP2 members modulating plant height and seed morphogenesis remain largely unelucidated. In the present study, the maize ZmEREB130 gene was cloned and functionally validated in modulating growth and seed size development. Our findings demonstrated that ZmEREB130 protein harbors two conserved AP2 domains, localized to the nucleus, exhibits no self-activation activity, and is a canonical AP2 transcription factor. The results of Y2H, BiFC, and split-LUC assays revealed that ZmEREB130 undergoes homodimerization via its AP2 domain, and interacts with ZmFdx1/5. The ZmEREB130 exhibited predominant expression in maize seeds. Heterologous expression of ZmEREB130 in Arabidopsis resulted in the suppression of plant growth and reduction of seed dimensions. Phenotypic analyses demonstrated that five transgenic lines manifested reduced seedling size, diminished biomass accumulation, delayed flowering, decreased plant height, and significantly reductions in seed length, width, and weight compared to wild type plants. The results of RNA-seq, qRT-PCR, and dual-LUC assays implied that ZmEREB130 binds to the promoters of development-associated genes, modulating their transcription and ultimately impeding growth and ontogenesis of transgenic Arabidopsis. This study provides evidence that ZmEREB130 functions as a negative regulator of plant growth and development, thereby presenting a novel candidate gene for maize genetic improvements aiming to achieve high-yield traits via genome-editing technologies.
期刊介绍:
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry publishes original theoretical, experimental and technical contributions in the various fields of plant physiology (biochemistry, physiology, structure, genetics, plant-microbe interactions, etc.) at diverse levels of integration (molecular, subcellular, cellular, organ, whole plant, environmental). Opinions expressed in the journal are the sole responsibility of the authors and publication does not imply the editors'' agreement.
Manuscripts describing molecular-genetic and/or gene expression data that are not integrated with biochemical analysis and/or actual measurements of plant physiological processes are not suitable for PPB. Also "Omics" studies (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc.) reporting descriptive analysis without an element of functional validation assays, will not be considered. Similarly, applied agronomic or phytochemical studies that generate no new, fundamental insights in plant physiological and/or biochemical processes are not suitable for publication in PPB.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry publishes several types of articles: Reviews, Papers and Short Papers. Articles for Reviews are either invited by the editor or proposed by the authors for the editor''s prior agreement. Reviews should not exceed 40 typewritten pages and Short Papers no more than approximately 8 typewritten pages. The fundamental character of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry remains that of a journal for original results.