PEBP家族基因ZCN12调控玉米开花期和株型的分子机制研究

开花期和株型性状不仅与玉米环境适应性和理想株型育种密切相关，而且直接或间接影响玉米产量、品质、抗逆等许多重要的农艺性状。课题组利用一套由玉米自交系W22与大刍草杂交衍生得到的866份渗入系材料，鉴定到一个调控玉米开花期和株型性状的新基因ZCN12。本项目将在前期研究的基础上，进一步阐明ZCN12基因的分子调控机制和分子进化特征，主要开展以下工作：（1）应用转基因技术证实ZCN12基因的生物学功能；（2）应用qRT-PCR技术和mRNA原位杂交技术明确ZCN12基因的表达特征；（3）应用分子生物学技术揭示ZCN12基因的分子调控机制；（4）应用关联分析的方法挖掘ZCN12基因的优良等位变异并进一步解析ZCN12基因的分子进化特征。本项目不仅为完善玉米开花期和株型性状的分子调控网络提供新的线索，也为玉米育种过程中开花期和株型性状的遗传改良提供重要的理论指导和技术参考。

Flowering time and plant architecture traits are not only closely related to environmental adaptability and ideal plant type breeding in maize, but also directly or indirectly affect many important agronomic traits, such as maize yield, quality and stress tolerance. Using a large introgression population (866 lines) derived from a cross between W22 (a typical maize inbred line) and teosinte (a typical accession of Zea mays ssp. parviglumis), we identified a new gene ZCN12, which regulates flowering time and plant architecture traits in maize. Based on the previous progresses, this project will further elucidate the molecular regulatory mechanisms and molecular evolution characteristics of ZCN12. The main tasks are as follows: (1) Using transgenic techniques to confirm the biological functions of ZCN12; (2) Determining the expression characteristics of ZCN12 using qRT-PCR and mRNA in situ hybridization; (3) Using molecular biology techniques to reveal the molecular regulatory mechanisms of ZCN12; (4) Using association analysis to excavate excellent allelic variations and further analyze the molecular evolution characteristics of ZCN12. Accordingly, this project will not only provide new clues for elucidating the molecular regulatory networks of flowering time and plant architecture traits, but also provide important theoretical guidance and technical reference for genetic improvement of flowering time and plant architecture traits in maize.