The brassinosteroid biosynthesis gene, ZmD11, increases seed size and quality in rice and maize.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a group of plant steroid hormones that regulate many important agronomic traits. Studies on the functional mechanisms of BR-related genes in crop plants are necessary for the application of BRs in agriculture. In this study, ZmD11, an ortholog of rice DWARF11 (D11), and 42 other BR biosynthesis-related genes were identified in maize (Zea mays). Complementary experiments confirmed that ZmD11 completely rescued the abnormal panicle architecture and plant height of the rice cpb1 mutant. A phylogenetic analysis indicated that ZmD11-like proteins were found in other monocots and dicots, but not in lower plants and that alternative splicing variants of these homologues mainly exist in Triticeae crops. A subcellular localization analysis showed that ZmD11 localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. The ZmD11 gene was predominantly expressed in young ears and seeds from 10 to 16 days after pollination, especially in the scutellar aleurone layer and pericarp. Furthermore, the constitutive expression of the ZmD11 gene significantly increased seed length, seed area, seed weight and both seed starch and protein contents in rice and maize. Our results suggest that ZmD11 is a key gene in the regulation of seed size and quality and that it has a potential application value in the molecular breeding of crops.