华中农业大学严建兵研究组发现，一种特异于玉米属的微肽控制玉米籽粒脱水。这一研究成果于2024年11月12日发表在国际学术期刊《细胞》上。

研究人员鉴定了一个定量性状位点（QTL），qKDR1，作为一个非编码序列，调控qKDR1调控肽基因（RPG）的表达。RPG编码一个31个氨基酸的微肽microRPG1，通过精确调节乙烯信号通路中ZmETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like 1和ZmETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like 3基因在籽粒灌浆后的表达，进而控制籽粒脱水速率（KDR）。

microRPG1是一个特异于玉米属（Zea）的微肽，起源于一个非编码序列。敲除microRPG1导致玉米KDR加速。相反，过表达或外源应用该微肽则在玉米和拟南芥中表现出相反的效果。该研究揭示了microRPG1在籽粒脱水中的分子机制，并为未来作物育种提供了重要工具。

据了解，KDR是影响玉米机械化收割和籽粒质量的关键生产性状，但其潜在机制仍不明确。

附：英文原文

Title: A Zea genus-specific micropeptide controls kernel dehydration in maize

Author: Yanhui Yu, Wenqiang Li, Yuanfang Liu, Yanjun Liu, Qinzhi Zhang, Yidan Ouyang, Wenya Ding, Yu Xue, Yilin Zou, Junjun Yan, Anqiang Jia, Jiali Yan, Xinfei Hao, Yujie Gou, Zhaowei Zhai, Longyu Liu, Yang Zheng, Bao Zhang, Jieting Xu, Ning Yang, Yingjie Xiao, Lin Zhuo, Zhibing Lai, Ping Yin, Hai-Jun Liu, Alisdair R. Fernie, David Jackson, Jianbing Yan

Issue&Volume: 2024-11-12

Abstract: Kernel dehydration rate (KDR) is a crucial production trait that affects mechanized harvesting and kernel quality in maize; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL), qKDR1, as a non-coding sequence that regulates the expression of qKDR1 REGULATED PEPTIDE GENE (RPG). RPG encodes a 31 amino acid micropeptide, microRPG1, which controls KDR by precisely modulating the expression of two genes, ZmETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE3-like 1 and 3, in the ethylene signaling pathway in the kernels after filling. microRPG1 is a Zea genus-specific micropeptide and originated de novo from a non-coding sequence. Knockouts of microRPG1 result in faster KDR in maize. By contrast, overexpression or exogenous application of the micropeptide shows the opposite effect both in maize and Arabidopsis. Our findings reveal the molecular mechanism of microRPG1 in kernel dehydration and provide an important tool for future crop breeding.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.10.030

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(24)01212-1