An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot

Fusarium ear rot (FER), caused by Fusarium verticillioides, results in substantial yield losses and poses a significant threat to maize production worldwide. However, the genetic basis of FER resistance remains poorly understood. Utilizing QTL-seq and association analysis, we identified a gene encod...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dong, Chaopei, Wu, Yabin, Gao, Jingyang, Song, Yunxia, Wu, Zhaokun, Wang, Zhao, He, Jianju, Yu, Qian, Zhao, Zhonghuan, Cao, Mengya, Zhang, Ronghui, Song, Weibin, Zhang, Xuecai, Jing, Pei, Sun, Doudou, Zhang, Huiyong, Zhou, Zijian, Chen, Jiafa, Wu, Jianyu
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier Inc. 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179221
_version_ 1855542759282180096
author Dong, Chaopei
Wu, Yabin
Gao, Jingyang
Song, Yunxia
Wu, Zhaokun
Wang, Zhao
He, Jianju
Yu, Qian
Zhao, Zhonghuan
Cao, Mengya
Zhang, Ronghui
Song, Weibin
Zhang, Xuecai
Jing, Pei
Sun, Doudou
Zhang, Huiyong
Zhou, Zijian
Chen, Jiafa
Wu, Jianyu
author_browse Cao, Mengya
Chen, Jiafa
Dong, Chaopei
Gao, Jingyang
He, Jianju
Jing, Pei
Song, Weibin
Song, Yunxia
Sun, Doudou
Wang, Zhao
Wu, Jianyu
Wu, Yabin
Wu, Zhaokun
Yu, Qian
Zhang, Huiyong
Zhang, Ronghui
Zhang, Xuecai
Zhao, Zhonghuan
Zhou, Zijian
author_facet Dong, Chaopei
Wu, Yabin
Gao, Jingyang
Song, Yunxia
Wu, Zhaokun
Wang, Zhao
He, Jianju
Yu, Qian
Zhao, Zhonghuan
Cao, Mengya
Zhang, Ronghui
Song, Weibin
Zhang, Xuecai
Jing, Pei
Sun, Doudou
Zhang, Huiyong
Zhou, Zijian
Chen, Jiafa
Wu, Jianyu
author_sort Dong, Chaopei
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Fusarium ear rot (FER), caused by Fusarium verticillioides, results in substantial yield losses and poses a significant threat to maize production worldwide. However, the genetic basis of FER resistance remains poorly understood. Utilizing QTL-seq and association analysis, we identified a gene encoding UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 (ZmGAE1). A 141-base pair insertion was revealed as the natural functional variation in the promoter of ZmGAE1, which decreases its expression and enhances resistance to FER. Functional validation confirmed that ZmGAE1 acts as a negative regulator of maize resistance to FER. Notably, reduced ZmGAE1 accumulation not only improved FER resistance but also lowered fumonisin content. This effect was attributed to increased cell density within the down-placenta chalaza region, accompanied by the accumulation of galacturonic acid and pectin. Crucially, lines lacking ZmGAE1 exhibited no adverse effects on key agronomic traits and showed resistance to multiple diseases, including maize stalk rot, southern leaf blight, and seed rot. These findings highlight ZmGAE1 as a promising candidate for improving FER resistance in maize, offering a novel approach for crop protection and sustainable agriculture.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace179221
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher Elsevier Inc.
publisherStr Elsevier Inc.
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1792212025-12-22T23:23:32Z An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot Dong, Chaopei Wu, Yabin Gao, Jingyang Song, Yunxia Wu, Zhaokun Wang, Zhao He, Jianju Yu, Qian Zhao, Zhonghuan Cao, Mengya Zhang, Ronghui Song, Weibin Zhang, Xuecai Jing, Pei Sun, Doudou Zhang, Huiyong Zhou, Zijian Chen, Jiafa Wu, Jianyu fusarium maize maize stalk rot disease resistance Fusarium ear rot (FER), caused by Fusarium verticillioides, results in substantial yield losses and poses a significant threat to maize production worldwide. However, the genetic basis of FER resistance remains poorly understood. Utilizing QTL-seq and association analysis, we identified a gene encoding UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 (ZmGAE1). A 141-base pair insertion was revealed as the natural functional variation in the promoter of ZmGAE1, which decreases its expression and enhances resistance to FER. Functional validation confirmed that ZmGAE1 acts as a negative regulator of maize resistance to FER. Notably, reduced ZmGAE1 accumulation not only improved FER resistance but also lowered fumonisin content. This effect was attributed to increased cell density within the down-placenta chalaza region, accompanied by the accumulation of galacturonic acid and pectin. Crucially, lines lacking ZmGAE1 exhibited no adverse effects on key agronomic traits and showed resistance to multiple diseases, including maize stalk rot, southern leaf blight, and seed rot. These findings highlight ZmGAE1 as a promising candidate for improving FER resistance in maize, offering a novel approach for crop protection and sustainable agriculture. 2025-07 2025-12-22T23:23:31Z 2025-12-22T23:23:31Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179221 en Open Access Elsevier Inc. Cell Press Dong, C., Wu, Y., Gao, J., Song, Y., Wu, Z., Wang, Z., He, J., Yu, Q., Zhao, Z., Cao, M., Zhang, R., Song, W., Zhang, X., Jing, P., Sun, D., Zhang, H., Zhou, Z., Chen, J., & Wu, J. (2025). An InDel insertion in the promoter of gene encoding UDP-D-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 enhances maize resistance against Fusarium ear rot. Plant Communications, 6(7), 101380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101380
spellingShingle fusarium
maize
maize stalk rot
disease resistance
Dong, Chaopei
Wu, Yabin
Gao, Jingyang
Song, Yunxia
Wu, Zhaokun
Wang, Zhao
He, Jianju
Yu, Qian
Zhao, Zhonghuan
Cao, Mengya
Zhang, Ronghui
Song, Weibin
Zhang, Xuecai
Jing, Pei
Sun, Doudou
Zhang, Huiyong
Zhou, Zijian
Chen, Jiafa
Wu, Jianyu
An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot
title An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot
title_full An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot
title_fullStr An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot
title_full_unstemmed An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot
title_short An InDel insertion in the promoter of a UDP-ᴅ-glucuronate 4-epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot
title_sort indel insertion in the promoter of a udp d glucuronate 4 epimerase 1 gene enhances maize resistance to fusarium ear rot
topic fusarium
maize
maize stalk rot
disease resistance
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179221
work_keys_str_mv AT dongchaopei anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wuyabin anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT gaojingyang anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT songyunxia anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wuzhaokun anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wangzhao anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT hejianju anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT yuqian anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhaozhonghuan anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT caomengya anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhangronghui anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT songweibin anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhangxuecai anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT jingpei anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT sundoudou anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhanghuiyong anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhouzijian anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT chenjiafa anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wujianyu anindelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT dongchaopei indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wuyabin indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT gaojingyang indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT songyunxia indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wuzhaokun indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wangzhao indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT hejianju indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT yuqian indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhaozhonghuan indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT caomengya indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhangronghui indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT songweibin indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhangxuecai indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT jingpei indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT sundoudou indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhanghuiyong indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT zhouzijian indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT chenjiafa indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot
AT wujianyu indelinsertioninthepromoterofaudpᴅglucuronate4epimerase1geneenhancesmaizeresistancetofusariumearrot