Single-cell RNA sequencing of developing maize ears facilitates functional analysis and trait candidate gene...

Area of Science:

• Plant biology
• Genomics
• Developmental biology

Background:

• Crop productivity relies on meristem activity for optimal plant architecture, such as the maize ear.
• Understanding maize ear development requires detailed knowledge of cell types, developmental domains, and gene networks.
• Classical genetics and morphology have limitations in fully characterizing these complex developmental processes due to genetic redundancy and pleiotropy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a comprehensive single-cell transcriptional atlas of developing maize ears.
• To identify diverse cell types and developmental domains within the maize inflorescence.
• To establish a foundation for understanding gene networks governing maize ear development and facilitating genetic studies.

Main Methods:

• Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of 12,525 individual cells from developing maize ears.
• Validation using mRNA in situ hybridization.
• Further validation and data integration through fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) RNA-seq.

Main Results:

• Generation of a high-resolution single-cell atlas of maize inflorescence development.
• Identification of distinct cell populations and their transcriptional profiles.
• Demonstration of the atlas's utility in predicting genetic redundancy and identifying candidate genes for crop yield.

Conclusions:

• The developed atlas provides unprecedented insight into maize ear development at the single-cell level.
• This scRNA-seq resource can significantly advance genetic studies by overcoming limitations of previous methods.
• The findings facilitate the identification of genes crucial for improving maize architecture and overall crop productivity.