Genetic variation in ZmSO contributes to ABA response and drought tolerance in maize seedlings
Zongliang Xia,
Fangfang Liu,
Meiping Wang,
Jiafa Chen,
Zijian Zhou,
Jianyu Wu
Affiliations
Zongliang Xia
College of Life Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China; Synergetic Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops and State Key Laboratory of Wheat & Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China; Corresponding author.
Fangfang Liu
College of Life Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
Meiping Wang
Library of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
Jiafa Chen
College of Life Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China; Synergetic Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops and State Key Laboratory of Wheat & Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
Zijian Zhou
College of Life Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China; Synergetic Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops and State Key Laboratory of Wheat & Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
Jianyu Wu
College of Life Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China; Synergetic Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops and State Key Laboratory of Wheat & Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, Henan, China
Water scarcity impairs maize growth and yield. Identification and deployment of superior drought-tolerance alleles is desirable for the genetic improvement of stress tolerance in maize. Our previous study revealed that maize sulfite oxidase (SO) catalyzes the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate and may be involved in drought response. But it was unclear whether the natural variation in ZmSO is directly associated with the drought resistance of maize. In the present study, we showed that ZmSO was associated with drought tolerance in maize seedlings, using gene association analysis and a transgene approach. A 14-bp insertion variation, containing two ABA-responsive elements, in the promoter region of ZmSO conferred ABA-inducible expression, leading to increased drought tolerance. Genetic selection of this favorable allele increased drought tolerance. This study has identified elite alleles associated with sulfur metabolism for improving maize drought resistance.
