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Transcription factor binding divergence drives transcriptional and phenotypic variation in maize.
Mary Galli1, Zongliang Chen1, Tara Ghandour2
1Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Nature Plants
|June 12, 2025
View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This study maps transcription factor (TF) binding in maize, revealing genetic differences that impact crop traits like flowering time and pest resistance. These findings offer new ways to improve agriculture using plant genetic variation.
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Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Plant Biology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Regulatory elements in plant genomes are crucial for crop domestication and improvement.
- Understanding their identity, function, and diversity is limited, hindering agricultural advances.
- Harnessing natural or induced genetic variation requires better characterization of these elements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map transcription factor (TF) binding sites in two maize inbred lines.
- To identify differences in TF binding between lines and correlate them with gene expression and traits.
- To validate the function of regulatory regions using genome editing.
Main Methods:
- Mapped transcription factor binding for 200 TFs across 30 families in two maize inbred lines.
Main Results:
- Widespread differences in TF binding were observed between maize inbred lines, largely due to structural variations.
- These TF binding differences correlated with changes in gene expression and explained complex quantitative trait loci (e.g., Vgt1, DICE).
- CRISPR-Cas9 editing confirmed the functional role of regulatory regions in plant architecture and biotic resistance.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive maize TF binding catalog was generated, identifying functional regulatory regions.
- The findings enable comparative analysis of regulatory elements, valuable for crop improvement.
- This work provides a foundation for leveraging genetic variation to enhance agricultural productivity and resilience.


