Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Agrobacterium-Mediated Immature Embryo Transformation of Recalcitrant Maize Inbred Lines Using Morphogenic Genes
Published on: February 14, 2020
Filamentous Temperature-Sensitive Z Protein J175 Regulates Maize Chloroplasts' and Amyloplasts' Division and
Huayang Lv1, Xuewu He1, Hongyu Zhang1
1College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan 625014, China.
Abstract:
Plastid division regulatory genes play a crucial role in the morphogenesis of chloroplasts and amyloplasts. Chloroplasts are the main sites for photosynthesis and metabolic reactions, while amyloplasts are the organelles responsible for forming and storing starch granules. The proper division of chloroplasts and amyloplasts is essential for plant growth and yield maintenance. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the J175 (FtsZ2-2) gene, cloned from an ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) mutant involved in chloroplast and amyloplast division in maize, through map-based cloning. We found that J175 encodes a cell division protein, FtsZ (filamentous temperature-sensitive Z). The FtsZ family of proteins is widely distributed in plants and may be related to the division of chloroplasts and amyloplasts. The J175 protein is localized in plastids, and its gene is expressed across various tissues. From the seedling stage, the leaves of the j175 mutant exhibited white stripes, while the division of chloroplasts was inhibited, leading to a significant increase in volume and a reduction in their number. Measurement of the photosynthetic rate showed a significant decrease in the photosynthetic efficiency of j175. Additionally, the division of amyloplasts in j175 grains at different stages was impeded, resulting in irregular polygonal starch granules. RNA-seq analyses of leaves and kernels also showed that multiple genes affecting plastid division, such as FtsZ1, ARC3, ARC6, PDV1-1, PDV2, and MinE1, were significantly downregulated. This study demonstrates that the maize gene j175 is essential for maintaining the division of chloroplasts and amyloplasts and ensuring normal plant growth, and provides an important gene resource for the molecular breeding of maize.
More Related Videos
06:12Author Spotlight: Investigating Fungal Pathogenicity Mechanisms in Maize
Published on: September 15, 2023
06:11Author Spotlight: Improved Methods for Preparing Transverse Sections and Unrolled Whole Mounts of Maize Leaf Primordia for Fluorescence and Confocal Imaging
Published on: September 22, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Gene Regulation During Sporulation
Cell Signaling in Plants
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
Protein Transport to the Outer Chloroplast Membrane
Two models describe the mechanism of precursor recognition and entry across the outer membrane through the TOC complex. Model 1 suggests the newly synthesized precursor binds to the TOC receptor 159 and forms a complex.
C4 Pathway and CAM
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Protein Transport to the Stroma
Protein complexes called the translocon of the outer chloroplast membrane or TOC complex, and the translocon of the inner chloroplast membrane or TIC complex mediate the...