Wang Tonghan, Wang Changjin, Guan Minghui, Zheng Yaohui, Sun Lu, Yu Haibing, Chen Lei, Wang Yongfu, Wu Degong, Du Junli
Engineering Technology Institute of Maize Breeding in Anhui Province, Chuzhou 233100, China; College of Agriculture, Anhui Science and Technology University, Chuzhou 233100, China.
College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Science and Technology University, Chuzhou 233100, China; Anhui Province International Joint Research Center of Forage Bio-breeding, Chuzhou 233100, China.
Gene. 2025 Sep 5;963:149598. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2025.149598. Epub 2025 May 28.
As a globally vital crop for human consumption, livestock feed, and industrial applications, maize (Zea mays L.) faces severe threats from the invasive pest fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda. Exploring endogenous resistance genes represents a sustainable approach for FAW management. This study employed the Maize6H-60 K SNP array to characterize genetic diversity and population structure in 212 key inbred lines derived from southeastern Chinese breeding programs. Integrated with field-based resistance phenotyping data from 2023 and 2024, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified 21 SNP loci significantly associated with FAW resistance, distributed across chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. Subsequent analyses pinpointed 25 candidate genes within these genomic regions. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, promoter cis-acting element analysis, and transcriptomic profiling revealed that these genes are functionally enriched in signal transduction, cellular defense responses, and transcriptional regulation. Notably, their promoter regions harbored multiple hormone-responsive (e.g., jasmonic acid and salicylic acid) and stress-inducible cis-elements. Investigation of publicly available transcriptome datasets with qRT-PCR validation demonstrated that six candidate genes exhibited significant expression changes under FAW infestation, suggesting their pivotal roles in maize antiherbivore defense mechanisms. This study not only provides an important molecular basis for the genetic improvement of maize resistance to the fall armyworm but also offers new perspectives for further research on plant - insect interaction mechanisms. In addition, the study's outcomes offer a solid theoretical foundation for devising maize insect - resistance breeding strategies.
作为一种对人类消费、牲畜饲料和工业应用至关重要的全球作物，玉米（Zea mays L.）面临着来自入侵害虫草地贪夜蛾（FAW）Spodoptera frugiperda的严重威胁。探索内源性抗性基因是草地贪夜蛾管理的一种可持续方法。本研究采用Maize6H-60 K SNP芯片对来自中国东南部育种项目的212个关键自交系的遗传多样性和群体结构进行了表征。结合2023年和2024年基于田间的抗性表型数据，全基因组关联研究（GWAS）确定了21个与草地贪夜蛾抗性显著相关的SNP位点，分布在第1、2、3、5、6和7号染色体上。随后的分析在这些基因组区域内确定了25个候选基因。基因本体（GO）注释、启动子顺式作用元件分析和转录组分析表明，这些基因在功能上富集于信号转导、细胞防御反应和转录调控。值得注意的是，它们的启动子区域含有多个激素响应（如茉莉酸和水杨酸）和胁迫诱导的顺式元件。通过qRT-PCR验证对公开可用的转录组数据集进行的研究表明，六个候选基因在草地贪夜蛾侵染下表现出显著的表达变化，表明它们在玉米抗食草动物防御机制中起关键作用。本研究不仅为玉米抗草地贪夜蛾的遗传改良提供了重要的分子基础，也为进一步研究植物-昆虫相互作用机制提供了新的视角。此外，该研究结果为制定玉米抗虫育种策略提供了坚实的理论基础。
