title: Altered expression of maize PLASTOCHRON1 enhances biomass and seed yield by extending cell division duration.
abstract: Maize is the highest yielding cereal crop grown worldwide for grain or silage. Here, we show that modulating the expression of the maize PLASTOCHRON1 (ZmPLA1) gene, encoding a cytochrome P450 (CYP78A1), results in increased organ growth, seedling vigour, stover biomass and seed yield. The engineered trait is robust as it improves yield in an inbred as well as in a panel of hybrids, at several locations and over multiple seasons in the field. Transcriptome studies, hormone measurements and the expression of the auxin responsive DR5rev:mRFPer marker suggest that PLA1 may function through an increase in auxin. Detailed analysis of growth over time demonstrates that PLA1 stimulates the duration of leaf elongation by maintaining dividing cells in a proliferative, undifferentiated state for a longer period of time. The prolonged duration of growth also compensates for growth rate reduction caused by abiotic stresses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xiaohuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, 50011 Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cahill
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Van Hautegem
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Feys
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo 84602, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Clinton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Whipple
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Growth Regulators and Department of Chemical Biology and Genetics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Palacký University, 771 47 Olomouc, Czech Republic.|Institute of Experimental Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 771 47 Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Novák
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delbare
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Charlot
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Versteele
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kirin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demuynck
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jolien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Block
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4762-6580
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Storme
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Claeys
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Lijsebettens
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Griet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coussens
authors.affiliation: Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 907 36 Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ljung
authors.affiliation: Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Vliegher
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, 50011 Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0817-7594
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muszynski
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inzé
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium.|Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7494-1290
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nelissen
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; C088751:CYP78A1 protein, Zea mays