中国科学院分子植物科学卓越创新中心巫永睿课题组的研究显示，玉米等位基因增强玉米氮素同化和籽粒蛋白质。这一研究成果于2026年6月3日发表在国际顶尖学术期刊《自然》上。

该课题组研究人员报道，普通玉米还具有一个优越的单倍型基因促进谷氨酰胺合成。研究小组鉴定并克隆了普通玉米高蛋白3 (THP3)，该蛋白编码谷氨酸-草酸转氨酶1 (GOT1)，而GOT1是参与氮同化和碳氮平衡的关键酶。优越的THP3-T等位基因，在驯化过程中遭受负选择，具有自然变异，促进其表达和酶活性。过表达THP3-T，而不是现代的THP3-B等位基因，显著增加了种子蛋白，代表了碳氮组成的改变。将THP3-T与THP9-T（后者编码天冬酰胺合成酶4 (ASN4)）结合，在保持产量的同时协同提高了优质杂交种的种子和全株蛋白。他们的发现证明了一种强大的作物改良策略，即从野生亲缘种中重新引入有益的稀有等位基因。

据介绍，玉米（Zea mays L.）驯化过程中，籽粒蛋白质含量急剧下降。在植物中，谷氨酰胺和天冬酰胺水平与蛋白质含量密切相关。天冬酰胺是由谷氨酰胺合成的，这一过程由天冬酰胺合成酶催化。大刍草具有优良的天冬酰胺合成酶4 (ASN4)单倍型。

附：英文原文

Title: Teosinte alleles enhance nitrogen assimilation and seed protein in maize

Author: Huang, Yongcai, Zhu, Yidong, Cui, Yahui, Shi, Guolong, Wu, Xiaoxian, Li, Wenhao, Chen, Zhiteng, Zhou, Yu, Gu, Yincong, Bao, Zhigui, Luo, Shiqi, Wu, Xingguo, Li, Ruifan, Liu, Jingjing, Dai, Xiangjie, Liu, Junxin, Chen, Di, Gao, Lulu, You, Chong, Li, Youliang, Zhang, Yu, Wang, Wenqin, Wang, Haihai, Wu, Yongrui

Issue&Volume: 2026-06-03

Abstract: During maize (Zea mays L.) domestication, seed protein content sharply declined1,2. In plants, glutamine and asparagine levels are closely correlated with protein content3,4. Asparagine is synthesized from glutamine, a process catalysed by asparagine synthase5. Teosinte harbours a superior haplotype of asparagine synthase 4 (ASN4)2. Here, we report that teosinte also possesses a superior haplotype gene promoting glutamine synthesis. We identify and clone teosinte high protein 3 (THP3), which encodes glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase 1 (GOT1), a key enzyme involved in nitrogen assimilation and carbon–nitrogen balance. The superior THP3-T allele, subjected to negative selection during domestication, has natural variations that boost both its expression and enzymatic activity. Overexpressing THP3-T, but not the modern THP3-B allele, significantly increases seed protein, representing altered carbon–nitrogen composition. Pyramiding THP3-T with THP9-T (the latter encoding asparagine synthase 4 (ASN4)) synergistically elevates both seed and whole-plant protein in elite hybrids while maintaining yield. Our findings demonstrate a powerful strategy for crop improvement by reintroducing beneficial rare alleles disfavoured during domestication from wild relatives.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10575-8

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10575-8