ZmDRL1 regulates maize leaf angle via phytohormone signaling.
Bian J, Ji X, Zhuang Z, Ren Z, Ta W
Crop Improvement
The corn on the cob at your summer barbecue exists because breeders have spent decades coaxing maize plants to grow more upright, packing more plants per field and boosting harvests — and this newly characterized gene is a fresh handle for doing exactly that.
Corn plants have a joint at the base of each leaf called a pulvinus that determines how steeply the leaf sticks out from the stem. Researchers found a gene, ZmDRL1, that keeps this joint in check using plant hormones as messengers. When they used gene-editing scissors (CRISPR) to disable ZmDRL1, the cells in that joint grew bigger and leaves flopped outward at wider angles — showing the gene normally keeps leaves more upright.
Key Findings
CRISPR knockout of ZmDRL1 produced significantly increased leaf angles in two distinct maize genetic backgrounds (B73 and Zong31), confirming the gene's role is consistent across varieties.
Yeast two-hybrid screening identified 16 proteins that interact with ZmDRL1, including ARF2, a known regulator of the plant hormone auxin (IAA), linking leaf angle control to hormone signaling.
Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis showed that losing ZmDRL1 disrupts pathways tied to three key plant hormones — auxin (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA) — and causes enlarged cells in the pulvinus region.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists discovered a gene in maize called ZmDRL1 that controls how wide leaves spread out from the stalk. When this gene is turned off, leaves angle outward more — a trait that affects how efficiently a corn plant captures sunlight and ultimately how much grain it produces.
Abstract Preview
ZmDRL1 is associated with maize leaf angle regulation, potentially through phytohormone-related pathways and interactions with ARF2. Leaf angle is a key determinant of plant architecture, influenci...
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Maize, also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. The leafy stalk of the plant gives rise to male inflorescences or tassels which produce pollen, and female inflorescences called ears. The ears yield grain, known as kernels or seeds. In modern ...