Decoding the gene regulatory network of endosperm differentiation in maize

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Genomics
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• The cereal endosperm is crucial for grain volume and yield.
• Understanding its development is key to improving crop quality and productivity.
• Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) govern developmental processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To dissect the gene regulatory network controlling maize endosperm development at single-cell resolution.
• To identify cell types and transcriptional heterogeneity within the developing endosperm.
• To reveal key regulators of endosperm cell differentiation.

Main Methods:

• Single-cell RNA sequencing of 17,022 maize endosperm cells.
• Identification of cell clusters and endosperm cell types.
• Genomic DNA-binding site profiling of transcription factors.
• Construction of a gene regulatory network using transcriptomic and DNA-binding data.

Main Results:

• Identified 12 cell clusters representing five endosperm cell types with complex transcriptional heterogeneity.
• Delineated temporal gene expression patterns from 6 to 7 days after pollination.
• Constructed a GRN with 181 regulons, identifying cell-cluster-specific regulators.
• Experimentally validated three predicted key regulators.

Conclusions:

• Provides a single-cell resolution framework for understanding cereal endosperm development.
• Identifies essential regulators crucial for endosperm cell differentiation.
• Offers insights for enhancing cereal crop yield and quality through genetic manipulation.