The effect of light quality on the expression of stomatal development genes of maize

Abstract

Light-induced stomatal development is mediated through a crosstalk between cryptochrome (CRY), phytochrome (phy), and constitutive photomorphogenic 1 (COP1)-signaling systems. In maize, crosstalk is a complicated phenomenon that is accomplished by COP1-signaling pathway. Epidermal patterning factor 2 (EPF2) and epidermal patterning factor-like 9 (EPFL9)-regulated path signals rely on CRY and phy under blue and red light, respectively. Our experimental results showed that, in maize, ZmCOP1 expressed downstream CRY under monochromatic blue light. Blue light, which induced ZmEPF2 expression, was restricted, thereby increasing stomatal formation through the increase in stomatal index and density. Moreover, blue light reduced the expression of ZmSPCH and ZmMUTE. By contrast, red light promoted the expression of ZmEPF2 and ZmEPFL9, and mainly acted as a negative signal for regulation. As a consequence, the activator-inhibitor system of light was induced by blue-and-red light cross-effect on the EPF/EPFL peptides. The mediating action of monochromatic light was reduced under polychromatic light.

Keywords

• gas-exchange parameters; plant morphology; stomatal density; stomatal index.