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Molecular diversity and differential expression of starch-synthesis genes in developing kernels of three maize inbreds

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Abstract

The maize genome remains abundant in molecular diversity, and the rich genetic diversity of maize starch-synthesis genes is crucial for controlling various grain traits. To explore the unique mechanism controlling the advantageous waxy trait and characterize the molecular feature of genes relevant to starch composition in two elite waxy inbreds, expression profiling combined with gene organization analysis was performed in them as compared to one normal inbred. Genotype-specific expression patterns were observed for most genes studied. The waxy inbreds were shown to contain mutations in multiple starch-synthesis genes, namely gbssI (wx), gbssIIb and isa2 (potentially isa3 too).The mis-splicing events directly accounted for wx loss of function. Contrarily, disruption of 5′ and 3′ transcript sequence may contribute to the absence of GbssIIb and Isa2 transcripts in waxy inbreds, respectively. Besides, the splicing of Sugary1 transcript was developmentally regulated in the normal inbred, and DNA polymorphisms were detected within SSIIIb-1 gene in waxy inbreds.

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Abbreviations

WAP:

Weeks after pollination

GBSS:

Granule-bound starch synthase

SSS:

Soluble starch synthase

SBE:

Starch branching enzyme

DBE:

Starch debranching enzyme

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Acknowledgments

We thank Professor Yi-Fa Wang of the Crop Research Institute of SAAS for the kind guidance in the field experiments and Dr. Kevin M. Folta of the University of Florida for critical reading of an earlier version of the manuscript. This work was supported by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (Major Program, 06DZ19101) and Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Key Subject Construction, 2007(12) to K. D.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Institute of Biological Technique, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS), Beidi Road 2901, Minhang Zone, 201106, Shanghai, China

    Xiang-Zhen Ding, Bei-Guo Wang, Qiong Zhang, Ke Duan & Jian-Hua Huang

  2. College of Life Sciences, Shanxi Normal University, 041104, Linfen, China

    Xiang-Zhen Ding & Gui-Qin Yan

  3. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Technology, Forest and Fruit Research Institute of SAAS, 201106, Shanghai, China

    Qing-Hua Gao

Authors
  1. Xiang-Zhen Ding
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  2. Bei-Guo Wang
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  3. Qing-Hua Gao
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  4. Qiong Zhang
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  5. Gui-Qin Yan
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  6. Ke Duan
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  7. Jian-Hua Huang
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Ke Duan or Jian-Hua Huang.

Additional information

Communicated by D. Somers.

X.-Z. Ding and B.-G. Wang contributed equally to this work.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

299_2009_748_MOESM1_ESM.doc

S1 provides gene identities and specific primer sequences for RT-PCR analysis. S2 shows the sequence alignment of Wx (X03935, DNA) with its various transcripts from herein three maize inbreds. S3 is the sequence alignment showing different SSIIIb-1 transcripts from three maize inbreds. S4 is the sequence alignment of maize Sugary1 gene with the alternative transcripts from kernels of different developing stages in 5003 inbred. (DOC 91 kb)

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Ding, XZ., Wang, BG., Gao, QH. et al. Molecular diversity and differential expression of starch-synthesis genes in developing kernels of three maize inbreds. Plant Cell Rep 28, 1487–1495 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-009-0748-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-009-0748-5

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