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Journals
Genes
Special Issues
Genetic Research on Maize Kernel Development 
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Genetic Research on Maize Kernel Development 

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2024 | Viewed by 420

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhiyong Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Interests: grain filling development; gene regulatory mechanism; maternal-to-filial nutrient transport
Dr. Weibin Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Interests: maize breeding; genetics; genomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chao Bian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
Interests: genome editing; maize breeding; genetics; maize kernel development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops worldwide and is used in the production of food, feed, and industrial products. The development of high-yield and high-quality maize kernels with biofortification, low toxicity, and seed vigor is of paramount importance for ensuring global food security and agricultural sustainability.

Recent advancements in genetics, spatial transcriptomics, and genomic technologies have led to significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the complex genetic networks involved in maize kernel development. As a result, we can now explore the underlying molecular mechanisms that control maize kernel development and identify key genetic regulators essential for improving maize yield and quality.

This Special Issue aims to feature cutting-edge research on various aspects of maize kernel development. We welcome researchers from all over the world to contribute their original research articles, reviews, and perspectives to this issue. The topics covered include but are not limited to genetics, genomics, breeding, and molecular mechanisms. By sharing the latest findings and advancements in this field, we aspire to establish a comprehensive platform for researchers to further our understanding of maize kernel development.

Let us join forces in unraveling the mysteries behind maize kernel development and pave the way for the development of high-quality maize seeds, which will have a significant impact on global food security and agricultural sustainability.

Dr. Zhiyong Zhang
Dr. Weibin Song
Dr. Chao Bian
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Genes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • maize
  • seed development
  • endosperm
  • embryo

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 2487 KiB  
Article
Central Roles of ZmNAC128 and ZmNAC130 in Nutrient Uptake and Storage during Maize Grain Filling
by Di Peng, Shuxing Pan, Xin Du, Erwang Chen, Junjun He and Zhiyong Zhang
Genes 2024, 15(6), 663; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15060663 - 23 May 2024
Viewed by 277
Abstract
Grain filling is critical for determining yield and quality, raising the question of whether central coordinators exist to facilitate the uptake and storage of various substances from maternal to filial tissues. The duplicate NAC transcription factors ZmNAC128 and ZmNAC130 could potentially serve as [...] Read more.
Grain filling is critical for determining yield and quality, raising the question of whether central coordinators exist to facilitate the uptake and storage of various substances from maternal to filial tissues. The duplicate NAC transcription factors ZmNAC128 and ZmNAC130 could potentially serve as central coordinators. By analyzing differentially expressed genes from zmnac128 zmnac130 mutants across different genetic backgrounds and growing years, we identified 243 highly and differentially expressed genes (hdEGs) as the core target genes. These 243 hdEGs were associated with storage metabolism and transporters. ZmNAC128 and ZmNAC130 play vital roles in storage metabolism, and this study revealed two additional starch metabolism-related genes, sugary enhancer1 and hexokinase1, as their direct targets. A key finding of this study was the inclusion of 17 transporter genes within the 243 hdEGs, with significant alterations in the levels of more than 10 elements/substances in mutant kernels. Among them, six out of the nine upregulated transporter genes were linked to the transport of heavy metals and metalloids (HMMs), which was consistent with the enrichment of cadmium, lead, and arsenic observed in mutant kernels. Interestingly, the levels of Mg and Zn, minerals important to biofortification efforts, were reduced in mutant kernels. In addition to their direct involvement in sugar transport, ZmNAC128 and ZmNAC130 also activate the expression of the endosperm-preferential nitrogen and phosphate transporters ZmNPF1.1 and ZmPHO1;2. This coordinated regulation limits the intake of HMMs, enhances biofortification, and facilitates the uptake and storage of essential nutrients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Research on Maize Kernel Development )
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