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Isolation and functional analysis of the zmARM4 locus in a novel maize ( Zea mays ) grain‐filling mutant
Author(s) -
Kong Mengsi,
Qiao Qiao,
Ma Xiaolin,
Tao Yongsheng,
Maharjan Raj Pushpa,
Zhen Wenchao
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plant breeding
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1439-0523
pISSN - 0179-9541
DOI - 10.1111/pbr.12786
Subject(s) - biology , locus (genetics) , endosperm , mutant , genetics , gene , zea mays , phenotype , transposable element , quantitative trait locus , agronomy
Maize grain filling (GF) and grain weight (GW) are closely associated with grain yield. In our study, the ZmARM4 locus affecting GF and GW was identified using a reverse genetics screen of Uniform Mutator ( Mu ). First, MutatorDR ‐flanking sequence ( MuDR Fs) was isolated from the mutant by the MuDR ‐amplified fragment length polymorphism method, and it was verified by cosegregation (between MuDR Fs and phenotype) and linkage analyses. Second, the target gene of the MuDR Fs was found to encode the Armadillo domain of the repeat protein gene families and has high expression in the GF stage. Third, association mapping between SNPs in the ZmARM4 region and the GW of 489 maize lines indicated that ZmARM4 is a functional gene that is closely related to GW. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis suggested that ZmARM4 may be relevant for the activity of sucrose transport or the number of cell divisions in endosperm cells. Therefore, ZmARM4 may be used as an important locus for maize GW in molecular breeding.