Mapping responsive genomic elements to heat stress in a maize diversity panel

Area of Science:

• Plant genomics
• Molecular biology
• Agricultural science

Background:

• Plants possess genetic variation for environmental stress adaptation.
• Limited methods exist to identify genomic regions regulating differential gene expression under abiotic stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To uncover genomic regions influencing genotype-specific gene expression responses to heat stress in maize.
• To identify cis- and trans-acting regulatory elements controlling heat stress adaptation.

Main Methods:

• Transcriptome analysis of over 100 maize inbred lines.
• Identification of cis- and trans-acting expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs).
• Transient expression assays and transcription factor binding footprinting.

Main Results:

• Numerous cis- and trans-acting eQTLs influencing heat stress gene expression were identified.
• Cis-acting variants likely affect promoter activity, leading to differential allele expression.
• Heat-enriched transcription factor binding regions were mapped under stress conditions.

Conclusions:

• Genomic regions regulating genotype-specific heat stress responses can be prioritized using enriched transcription factor binding footprints.
• This approach aids in understanding and improving heat tolerance in maize varieties.