热胁迫是影响玉米生长和产量形成的重要因素，相关调控基因的挖掘和分子机制解析是进行抗逆性育种的重要基础工作。申请人在前期工作中筛选到一个热胁迫应答基因NF-YC13，转基因分析表明该基因是一个与耐热相关的正调控因子，且发现NF-YC13还能与热休克转录因子HsfA2c蛋白发生互作。在此基础上，本项目拟计划借助转录组测序分析出NF-YC13超表达后引起的差异表达基因；采用荧光素酶报告基因系统、ChIP-qPCR和EMSA等实验进一步筛选出在热胁迫应答通路上受NF-YC13直接调控的靶基因，并明确其结合位点；最后提出NF-YC13响应热胁迫应答的调控模型，初步阐明玉米NF-YC13响应热胁迫的分子机制。从而丰富玉米抗逆性相关的分子遗传内容，为筛选该基因的有利变异位点和抗逆性育种提供理论依据。

Heat stress is an important factor that affecting the growth and yield formation of maize. The exploration and molecular mechanism analysis of related regulatory genes are important basic works for stress-resistant breeding. Here, we found a heat stress response factor NF-YC13 and transgenic studies confirmed that NF-YC13 functions as a positive regulator of heat stress tolerance. And interaction analysis suggested that NF-YC13 could interact with HsfA2c in cell nuclei. Based on previous works, the project plans to analyze the differentially expressed genes caused by NF-YC13 overexpression using transcriptome sequencing. And using the luciferase reporter gene system, ChIP-qPCR and EMSA strategies to furtherly identify the target genes (including the binding sites) that directly regulated by NF-YC13 in the heat stress response pathway. Finally, proposing a regulatory model of NF-YC13 response to heat stress to preliminarily elucidate the molecular mechanism of NF-YC13 response to heat stress in maize. These works will enrich the molecular genetic theory in maize stress resistance and provide theoretical basis for screening a favorable allele of NF-YC13 and stress-resistant breeding.