Mutations in the maize zeta-carotene desaturase gene lead to viviparous kernel.
Preharvest sprouting reduces the maize quality and causes a significant yield loss in maize production. vp-wl2 is a Mutator (Mu)-induced viviparous mutant in maize, causing white or pale yellow kernels, dramatically reduced carotenoid and ABA content, and a high level of zeta-carotene accumulation. Here, we reported the cloning of the vp-wl2 gene using a modified digestion-ligation-amplification method (DLA). The results showed that an insertion of Mu9 in the first intron of the zeta-carotene desaturase (ZDS) gene results in the vp-wl2 mutation. Previous studies have suggested that ZDS is likely the structural gene of the viviparous9 (vp9) locus. Therefore, we performed an allelic test using vp-wl2 and three vp9 mutants. The results showed that vp-wl2 is a novel allele of the vp9 locus. In addition, the sequences of ZDS gene were identified in these three vp9 alleles. The vp-wl2 mutant gene was subsequently introgressed into four maize inbred lines, and a viviparous phenotype was observed with yield losses from 7.69% to 13.33%.
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.|College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Yan
Y
Chen
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jiankun
J
Li
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Kaijian
K
Fan
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Yicong
Y
Du
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Zhenjing
Z
Ren
National Maize Improvement Center of China, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Jing
J
Xu
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jun
J
Zheng
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Yunjun
Y
Liu
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Junjie
J
Fu
College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Dongtao
D
Ren
Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
Guoying
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1573-603X
G
Wang
D000483:Alleles; D017343:Genes, Plant; D009154:Mutation; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D010940:Plant Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C099215:zeta-carotene desaturase