Suppression of the Transcription Factor TaDOF7.6 Enhances Photosynthesis and Energy Metabolism to Boost Wheat Yield.

Yield improvement is a key breeding objective for wheat ( L.) to ensure food security. DNA-binding with one finger (DOF) transcription factors regulate primary metabolism and abiotic stress responses; however, their role in yield-related traits in wheat remains unexplored. Here, we characterized a nuclear-localized DOF family transcription factor, TaDOF7.6, which negatively regulates grain dimensions and weights, with the RNAi-knockdown and CRISPR-knockout wheat plants exhibiting enhanced plant growth and superior grain-filling capacity. TaDOF7.6 has transcriptional activation activity and it can bind to the promoters of three key genes involved in photosynthesis and energy metabolism with suppressing but activating and transcriptional expression. Knockdown of significantly promoted photosynthesis and energy-related metabolism, affecting the balance between the TCA cycle, glycolysis pathways, and amino acid metabolisms during wheat grain filling. All these results suggest that TaDOF7.6 is a critical regulator in wheat growth regulation and yield production. Suppression of TaDOF7.6 led to a significant reprogramming of matter and energy metabolism pathways, thereby greatly promoting plant growth and grain filling in wheat.