PubMed · 2026-05-11
Scientists identified a gene in maize called PEPCK2 that simultaneously boosts both protein content and grain yield — two traits that normally trade off against each other. Boosting this gene increased kernel weight by 22% and protein by 31%, offering a new breeding target for more nutritious, higher-yielding corn.
Overexpressing PEPCK2 increased ear length by 18.7%, kernel weight by 22.3%, and protein content by 31.5% with no negative effect on vegetative growth.
PEPCK2 boosts flux through the plant's energy-generating TCA cycle by 2.3-fold, efficiently converting amino acid building blocks into starch while recycling their nitrogen for protein synthesis.
Natural genetic variation in the PEPCK2 gene — in both its control region and coding sequence — is associated with measurable differences in yield and grain quality across maize varieties.
