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Selection for a Zinc-Finger Protein Contributes to Seed Oil Increase during Soybean Domestication
Qing-Tian Li1,2,3, Xiang Lu1,2,3, Qing-Xin Song1,2,3
1State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics (Q.L., X.L., Q.S., H.C., W.W., J.T., X.B., M.S., B.M., W.Z., S.C., J.Z.) and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology (S.L., G.S.), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Plant Physiology
|February 11, 2017
Summary
The soybean gene GmZF351 enhances seed oil accumulation by activating key lipid biosynthesis genes. Selection of GmZF351 during domestication boosted oil content in cultivated soybean.
Area of Science:
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Agricultural Science
- Genetics
Background:
- Seed oil content is a crucial trait in soybean (Glycine max) breeding, yet its regulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
- While several oil-related genes are known, the specific factors controlling seed oil biosynthesis require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the seed-preferred gene GmZF351 in regulating soybean seed oil accumulation.
- To explore the regulatory mechanism of seed oil biosynthesis involving GmZF351 and its potential during soybean domestication.
Main Methods:
- Identified GmZF351 as a selected gene during soybean domestication.
- Analyzed GmZF351's function in activating lipid biosynthesis genes (e.g., WRINKLED1, OLEOSIN2) in transgenic Arabidopsis and soybean seeds.
- Correlated GmZF351 haplotypes with gene expression, oil content, and promoter activity in cultivated and wild soybean.
Main Results:
- GmZF351 directly activates multiple genes essential for lipid biosynthesis, including WRINKLED1, BIOTIN CARBOXYL CARRIER PROTEIN2, 3-KETOACYL-ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN SYNTHASE III, DIACYLGLYCEROL O-ACYLTRANSFERASE1, and OLEOSIN2.
- Overexpression of GmZF351 in soybean seeds led to increased expression of lipid biosynthesis genes and accelerated oil accumulation.
- Specific GmZF351 haplotypes in cultivated soybean are associated with higher gene expression, increased seed oil content, and greater promoter activity.
Conclusions:
- GmZF351 plays a significant role in facilitating seed oil accumulation in soybean.
- The selection of GmZF351's expression during domestication has contributed to increased seed oil content in cultivated soybean.
- GmZF351 represents a promising target for improving oil production in soybean and other crops.
