Sucrose and ABA regulate starch biosynthesis in maize through a novel transcription factor, ZmEREB156.
Sucrose is not only the carbon source for starch synthesis, but also a signal molecule. Alone or in coordination with ABA, it can regulate the expression of genes involved in starch synthesis. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect, maize endosperms were collected from Zea mays L. B73 inbred line 10 d after pollination and treated with sucrose, ABA, or sucrose plus ABA at 28 °C in the dark for 24 h. RNA-sequence analysis of the maize endosperm transcriptome revealed 47 candidate transcription factors among the differentially expressed genes. We therefore speculate that starch synthetic gene expression is regulated by transcription factors induced by the combination of sucrose and ABA. ZmEREB156, a candidate transcription factor, is induced by sucrose plus ABA and is involved in starch biosynthesis. The ZmEREB156-GFP-fused protein was localized in the nuclei of onion epidermal cells, and ZmEREB156 protein possessed strong transcriptional activation activity. Promoter activity of the starch-related genes Zmsh2 and ZmSSIIIa increased after overexpression of ZmEREB156 in maize endosperm. ZmEREB156 could bind to the ZmSSIIIa promoter but not the Zmsh2 promoter in a yeast one-hybrid system. Thus, ZmEREB156 positively modulates starch biosynthetic gene ZmSSIIIa via the synergistic effect of sucrose and ABA.
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Huanhuan
H
Huang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Sidi
S
Xie
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Qianlin
Q
Xiao
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Bin
B
Wei
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Lanjie
L
Zheng
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Yongbin
Y
Wang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Yao
Y
Cao
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Xiangge
X
Zhang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Tiandan
T
Long
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Yangping
Y
Li
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Yufeng
Y
Hu
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Guowu
G
Yu
College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Hanmei
H
Liu
Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Yinghong
Y
Liu
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Zhi
Z
Huang
College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Junjie
J
Zhang
College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.
Yubi
Y
Huang
D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D056625:Endosperm / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D013213:Starch / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D013395:Sucrose; D000040:Abscisic Acid; D013213:Starch