Journal article
Co‐expression analysis aids in the identification of genes in the cuticular wax pathway in maize
The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, Vol.97(3), pp.530-542
02/2019
DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14140
PMID: 30375131
Abstract
Summary
Epicuticular waxes provide a hydrophobic barrier that protects land plants from environmental stresses. To elucidate the molecular functions of maize glossy mutants that reduce the accumulation of epicuticular waxes, eight non‐allelic glossy mutants were subjected to transcriptomic comparisons with their respective wild‐type siblings. Transcriptomic comparisons identified 2279 differentially expressed (DE) genes. Other glossy genes tended to be down‐regulated in glossy mutants; by contrast stress‐responsive pathways were induced in mutants. Gene co‐expression network (GCN) analysis found that glossy genes were clustered, suggestive of co‐regulation. Genes that potentially regulate the accumulation of glossy gene transcripts were identified via a pathway level co‐expression analysis. Expression data from diverse organs showed that maize glossy genes are generally active in young leaves, silks, and tassels, while largely inactive in seeds and roots. Through reverse genetics, a DE gene homologous to Arabidopsis CER8 and co‐expressed with known glossy genes was confirmed to participate in epicuticular wax accumulation. GCN data‐informed forward genetics approach enabled cloning of the gl14 gene, which encodes a putative membrane‐associated protein. Our results deepen understanding of the transcriptional regulation of the genes involved in the accumulation of epicuticular wax, and provide two maize glossy genes and a number of candidate genes for further characterization.
Significance Statement
Co‐expression, suggestive of co‐regulation, of the genes determining accumulation of waxes on the plant's outmost surface was found from gene expression analysis, which also identified transcription factors that are likely to participate in the transcriptional modulation of the wax pathway. With genes co‐expressed with known genes in the pathway, two unknown maize genes responsible for accumulation of surface waxes were experimentally confirmed, demonstrating a strategy to facilitate the identification of causal genes of certain traits.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Co‐expression analysis aids in the identification of genes in the cuticular wax pathway in maize
- Creators
- Jun Zheng - Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesCheng He - Kansas State UniversityYang Qin - Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesGuifang Lin - Kansas State UniversityWoojun D Park - Kansas State UniversityMinghao Sun - Jilin Agricultural UniversityJian Li - Jilin Agricultural UniversityXiaoduo Lu - Qilu Normal UniversityChunyi Zhang - Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesCheng‐Ting Yeh - Iowa State UniversityChathura J Gunasekara - Baylor College of MedicineErliang Zeng - University of IowaHairong Wei - Michigan Technological UniversityPatrick S Schnable - Iowa State UniversityGuoying Wang - Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesSanzhen Liu - Kansas State University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, Vol.97(3), pp.530-542
- DOI
- 10.1111/tpj.14140
- PMID
- 30375131
- ISSN
- 0960-7412
- eISSN
- 1365-313X
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0101002) National Natural Science Foundation of China (31330056) Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station (19‐020‐J) Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of CAAS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/2019
- Academic Unit
- Preventive and Community Dentistry; Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Dental Research
- Record Identifier
- 9984070444302771
Metrics
21 Record Views