Chen Xinyi, Zhang Aixia, Liu Chenyan, Saeed Muhammad, Li Junyi, Wu Ying, Wu Yunhao, Gu Haijing, Yuan Jinchao, Wang Baohua, Li Ping, Fang Hui
Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Maize in Plain Area of Southern Region, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China.
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan.
Plants (Basel). 2024 Dec 16;13(24):3507. doi: 10.3390/plants13243507.
β-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS) enzymes play a pivotal role in plants by catalyzing the first step of very long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) biosynthesis. This process is crucial for plant development and stress responses. However, the understanding of genes in maize remains limited. In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis of genes, identifying 29 genes that are unevenly distributed across nine maize chromosomes through bioinformatics approaches. These ZmKCS proteins varied in length and molecular weight, suggesting functional diversity. Phylogenetic analysis categorized 182 KCS proteins from seven species into six subgroups, with maize showing a closer evolutionary relationship to other monocots. Collinearity analysis revealed 102 gene pairs between maize and three other monocots, whereas only five gene pairs were identified between maize and three dicots, underscoring the evolutionary divergence of genes between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Structural analysis revealed that 20 out of 29 genes are intronless. Subcellular localization prediction and experimental validation suggest that most ZmKCS proteins are likely localized at the plasma membrane, with some also present in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Analysis of the -acting elements within the promoters suggested their potential involvement in abiotic stress responses. Notably, expression analysis under abiotic stresses highlighted as a potential key gene in the stress response of maize, which presented an over 10-fold decrease in expression under salt and drought stresses within 48 h. This study provides a fundamental understanding of genes, paving the way for further functional characterization and their potential application in maize breeding for enhanced stress tolerance.
β-酮脂酰辅酶A合酶（KCS）在植物中起着关键作用，它催化超长链脂肪酸（VLCFA）生物合成的第一步。这一过程对植物发育和应激反应至关重要。然而，对玉米中这些基因的了解仍然有限。在本研究中，我们对这些基因进行了全面分析，通过生物信息学方法鉴定出29个基因，它们在玉米的9条染色体上分布不均。这些ZmKCS蛋白的长度和分子量各不相同，表明其功能具有多样性。系统发育分析将来自7个物种的182个KCS蛋白分为6个亚组，玉米与其他单子叶植物的进化关系更为密切。共线性分析揭示了玉米与其他三个单子叶植物之间有102对基因，而玉米与三个双子叶植物之间仅鉴定出5对基因，这突出了单子叶植物和双子叶植物之间这些基因的进化差异。结构分析表明，29个基因中有20个是无内含子的。亚细胞定位预测和实验验证表明，大多数ZmKCS蛋白可能定位于质膜，有些也存在于线粒体和叶绿体中。对这些基因启动子内顺式作用元件的分析表明它们可能参与非生物胁迫反应。值得注意的是，非生物胁迫下的表达分析突出了某基因作为玉米胁迫反应中的一个潜在关键基因，在盐胁迫和干旱胁迫下48小时内其表达下降超过10倍。本研究为这些基因提供了基本认识，为进一步的功能表征及其在玉米育种中增强胁迫耐受性的潜在应用铺平了道路。
