Dataset Information

The maize (Zea mays L.) roothairless3 gene encodes a putative GPI-anchored, monocot-specific, COBRA-like protein that significantly affects grain yield.

ABSTRACT: The rth3 (roothairless 3) mutant is specifically affected in root hair elongation. We report here the cloning of the rth3 gene via a PCR-based strategy (amplification of insertion mutagenized sites) and demonstrate that it encodes a COBRA-like protein that displays all the structural features of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Genes of the COBRA family are involved in various types of cell expansion and cell wall biosynthesis. The rth3 gene belongs to a monocot-specific clade of the COBRA gene family comprising two maize and two rice genes. While the rice (Oryza sativa) gene OsBC1L1 appears to be orthologous to rth3 based on sequence similarity (86% identity at the protein level) and maize/rice synteny, the maize (Zea mays L.) rth3-like gene does not appear to be a functional homolog of rth3 based on their distinct expression profiles. Massively parallel signature sequencing analysis detected rth3 expression in all analyzed tissues, but at relatively low levels, with the most abundant expression in primary roots where the root hair phenotype is manifested. In situ hybridization experiments confine rth3 expression to root hair-forming epidermal cells and lateral root primordia. Remarkably, in replicated field trials involving near-isogenic lines, the rth3 mutant conferred significant losses in grain yield.

SUBMITTER: Hochholdinger F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2440564 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The maize (Zea mays L.) roothairless3 gene encodes a putative GPI-anchored, monocot-specific, COBRA-like protein that significantly affects grain yield.

Hochholdinger Frank F Wen Tsui-Jung TJ Zimmermann Roman R Chimot-Marolle Patricia P da Costa e Silva Oswaldo O Bruce Wesley W Lamkey Kendall R KR Wienand Udo U Schnable Patrick S PS

The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology 20080223 5

The rth3 (roothairless 3) mutant is specifically affected in root hair elongation. We report here the cloning of the rth3 gene via a PCR-based strategy (amplification of insertion mutagenized sites) and demonstrate that it encodes a COBRA-like protein that displays all the structural features of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Genes of the COBRA family are involved in various types of cell expansion and cell wall biosynthesis. The rth3 gene belongs to a monocot-specific clade of the COBRA ...[more]

PMID: 18298667

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Project description:The C4 crop maize (Zea mays) is the most widely grown cereal crop worldwide and is an essential feedstock for food and bioenergy. Improving maize yield is important to achieve food security and agricultural sustainability in the 21st century. One potential means to improve crop productivity is to enhance photosynthesis. ictB, a membrane protein that is highly conserved across cyanobacteria, has been shown to improve photosynthesis, and often biomass, when introduced into diverse C3 plant species. Here, ictB from Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 was inserted into maize using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. In three controlled-environment experiments, ictB insertion increased leaf starch and sucrose content by up to 25% relative to controls. Experimental field trials in four growing seasons, spanning the Midwestern United States (Summers 2018 & 2019) and Argentina (Winter 2018 & 2019), showed an average of 3.49% grain yield improvement, by as much as 5.4% in a given season and up to 9.4% at certain trial locations. A subset of field trial locations was used to test for modification of ear traits and ФPSII, a proxy for photosynthesis. Results suggested that yield gain in transgenics could be associated with increased ФPSII, and the production of longer, thinner ears with more kernels. ictB localized primarily to the microsome fraction of leaf bundle-sheath cells, but not to chloroplasts. Extramembrane domains of ictB interacted in vitro with proteins involved in photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. To our knowledge, this is the first published evidence of ictB insertion into a species using C4 photosynthesis and the largest-scale demonstration of grain yield enhancement from ictB insertion in planta. Results show that ictB is a valuable yield gene in the economically important crop maize, and are an important proof of concept that transgenic manipulation of photosynthesis can be used to create economically viable crop improvement traits.

Dataset Information

The maize (Zea mays L.) roothairless3 gene encodes a putative GPI-anchored, monocot-specific, COBRA-like protein that significantly affects grain yield.

Publications

The maize (Zea mays L.) roothairless3 gene encodes a putative GPI-anchored, monocot-specific, COBRA-like protein that significantly affects grain yield.

Similar Datasets

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