Chen, Wenkang, Chen, Lu, Zhang, Xuan, Yang, Ning, Guo, Jianghua, Wang, Min, Ji, Shenghui, Zhao, Xiangyu, Yin, Pengfei, Cai, Lichun, Xu, Jing, Zhang, Lili, Han, Yingjia, Xiao, Yingni, Xu, Gen, Wang, Yuebin, Wang, Shuhui, Wu, Sheng, Yang, Fang, Jackson, David, Cheng, Jinkui, Chen, Saihua, Sun, Chuanqing, Qin, Feng, Tian, Feng, Fernie, Alisdair R, Li, Jiansheng, Yan, Jianbing, Yang, Xiaohong (March 2022) Convergent selection of a WD40 protein that enhances grain yield in maize and rice. Science, 375 (6587). eabg7985. ISSN 0036-8075
Abstract
A better understanding of the extent of convergent selection among crops could greatly improve breeding programs. We found that the quantitative trait locus KRN2 in maize and its rice ortholog, OsKRN2, experienced convergent selection. These orthologs encode WD40 proteins and interact with a gene of unknown function, DUF1644, to negatively regulate grain number in both crops. Knockout of KRN2 in maize or OsKRN2 in rice increased grain yield by ~10% and ~8%, respectively, with no apparent trade-offs in other agronomic traits. Furthermore, genome-wide scans identified 490 pairs of orthologous genes that underwent convergent selection during maize and rice evolution, and these were enriched for two shared molecular pathways. KRN2, together with other convergently selected genes, provides an excellent target for future crop improvement.
| Item Type: | Paper |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | organism description > plant > maize organism description > plant > Oryza organism description > plant behavior > crop yield improvement |
| CSHL Authors: | |
| Communities: | CSHL labs > Jackson lab |
| SWORD Depositor: | CSHL Elements |
| Depositing User: | CSHL Elements |
| Date: | 25 March 2022 |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Mar 2022 18:36 |
| Last Modified: | 31 Mar 2022 18:36 |
| URI: | https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/40559 |
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