Wang Zhuolun, Cara Stephanie, Rhee Seung Y, Hauser Bernard A
Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Plant Resilience Institute, Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Plant Biology, and Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Aug 27;26(17):8310. doi: 10.3390/ijms26178310.
Seed size is a key trait affecting evolution and agronomic performance by influencing seedling establishment in natural populations and crop yields. The Seed Size QTL1 (SSQ1) locus explains 10-15% of the variation in seed size. We report here that the causal gene for this locus is (), which encodes a co-chaperone. Expressing across ecotypes and genotypes showed consistent dosage effects. Each additional allele increased seed mass and volume by 10-14% with high reliability in Col-0, Sha, Tsu-1, and genetic backgrounds. Reciprocal genetic crosses indicated that this locus acts maternally, consistent with female sporophytic or female gametophytic mutations. To elucidate how regulates seed size, the biomass composition of seeds was measured. While oil content remained unchanged, sucrose levels were markedly elevated in transformant lines and reduced in mutants. Interestingly, heterologous expression of across genetic backgrounds increased seed protein accumulation by 18% on average. Based on these changes in sucrose and protein levels, potential modes of action for are discussed.
种子大小是一个关键性状，通过影响自然种群中的幼苗建立和作物产量来影响进化和农艺性能。种子大小数量性状位点1（SSQ1）位点解释了种子大小变异的10-15%。我们在此报告，该位点的因果基因是（），它编码一种共伴侣蛋白。在不同生态型和基因型中表达显示出一致的剂量效应。在Col-0、Sha、Tsu-1和遗传背景中，每增加一个等位基因，种子质量和体积就会以高可靠性增加10-14%。正反交遗传杂交表明，该位点起母性作用，这与雌配子体或雌配子体突变一致。为了阐明如何调节种子大小，对种子的生物量组成进行了测量。虽然油含量保持不变，但在转化体系中蔗糖水平显著升高，而在突变体中蔗糖水平降低。有趣的是，在不同遗传背景中异源表达平均使种子蛋白质积累增加了18%。基于蔗糖和蛋白质水平的这些变化，讨论了的潜在作用模式。
