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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
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Published on: July 23, 2014
The ZmmiR169o/ZmNF-YA13 module orchestrates maize kernel texture by fine-tuning starch biosynthesis and endosperm
Min Zhang1, Zhiwei Zhao2, Hongkun Xiao3
1School of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, 450001, China. Zhangmin01@haut.edu.cn.
BMC Plant Biology
|August 14, 2026
Summary
A novel microRNA (miRNA) pathway involving ZmmiR169o and ZmNF-YA13 precisely regulates maize kernel texture by controlling starch composition, offering targets for improved grain quality.
Area of Science:
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Agricultural Science
- Genetics
Background:
- Kernel texture is crucial for maize grain quality and storage.
- Vitreous endosperm ratio is the primary measure of kernel texture.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in seed development, but their role in maize endosperm texture is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the regulatory role of the ZmmiR169o/ZmNF-YA13 module in maize kernel texture.
- To understand the molecular mechanisms controlling endosperm texture and grain quality in maize.
Main Methods:
- Systematic dissection of the ZmmiR169o/ZmNF-YA13 regulatory module.
- Analysis of gene overexpression effects on kernel hardness and texture.
- Mechanistic investigation of ZmNF-YA13's role in starch biosynthesis.
Main Results:
- Overexpression of ZmmiR169o increased kernel hardness; ZmNF-YA13 overexpression reduced it.
- ZmNF-YA13 directly activates ZmSBE1, a key starch biosynthesis gene.
- This regulation impacts amylose content, starch granule characteristics, and vitreous endosperm proportion.
Conclusions:
- A novel ZmmiR169o/ZmNF-YA13 pathway regulates maize kernel texture via starch composition.
- This pathway provides molecular targets for breeding quality-oriented maize varieties.
- Offers new insights into miRNA-mediated regulation of grain quality.
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