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PMID: 16079849 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

The origin of the naked grains of maize.

Nature ·Vol. 436 ·No. 7051 ·2005-08-04 ·Pages 714-9

Wang H, Nussbaum-Wagler T, Li B, Zhao Q, Vigouroux Y, Faller M, Bomblies K, Lukens L, Doebley JF

Abstract

The most critical step in maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) domestication was the liberation of the kernel from the hardened, protective casing that envelops the kernel in the maize progenitor, teosinte. This evolutionary step exposed the kernel on the surface of the ear, such that it could readily be used by humans as a food source. Here we show that this key event in maize domestication is controlled by a single gene (teosinte glume architecture or tga1), belonging to the SBP-domain family of transcriptional regulators. The factor controlling the phenotypic difference between maize and teosinte maps to a 1-kilobase region, within which maize and teosinte show only seven fixed differences in their DNA sequences. One of these differences encodes a non-conservative amino acid substitution and may affect protein function, and the other six differences potentially affect gene regulation. Molecular evolution analyses show that this region was the target of selection during maize domestication. Our results demonstrate that modest genetic changes in single genes can induce dramatic changes in phenotype during domestication and evolution.

MeSH Terms
Agriculture Alleles Amino Acid Sequence Evolution, Molecular Gene Expression Regulation, Plant Genes, Plant/genetics In Situ Hybridization Molecular Sequence Data Phenotype Plant Proteins/chemistry,genetics Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics RNA, Messenger/analysis,genetics RNA, Plant/analysis,genetics Zea mays/anatomy & histology,classification,genetics,growth & development
Chemicals
Plant Proteins RNA, Messenger RNA, Plant
Authors & Affiliations
9 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Wang Huai
Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
Nussbaum-Wagler Tina
Li Bailin
Zhao Qiong
Vigouroux Yves
Faller Marianna
Bomblies Kirsten
Lukens Lewis
Doebley John F
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Article Info
Journal
Nature
Abbr.
Nature
ISSN
1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/nature03863
Published
2005-08-04
Pages
714-9
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
0410462
PMCID
PMC1464477
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM058816 · United States
Databases
GENBANK
AY883436, AY883437, AY883438, AY883439, AY883440, AY883441, AY883442, AY883443, AY883444, AY883445, AY883446, AY883447, AY883448, AY883449, AY883450, AY883451, AY883452, AY883453, AY883454, AY883455, AY883456, AY883457, AY883458, AY883459, AY883460, AY883461, AY883462, AY883463, AY883464, AY883465, AY883466, AY883467, AY883468, AY883469, AY883470, AY883471, AY883472, AY883473, AY883474, AY883475, AY883476, AY883477, AY883478, AY883479, AY883480, AY883481, AY883482, AY883483, AY883484, AY883485, AY883486, AY883487, AY883488, AY883489, AY883490, AY883491, AY883492, AY883493, AY883494, AY883495, AY883496, AY883497, AY883498, AY883499, AY883500, AY883501, AY883502, AY883503, AY883504, AY883505, AY883506, AY883507, AY883508, AY883509, AY883510, AY883511, AY883512, AY883513, AY883514, AY883515, AY883516, AY883517, AY883518, AY883519, AY883520, AY883521, AY883522, AY883523, AY883524, AY883525, AY883526, AY883527, AY883528, AY883529, AY883530, AY883531, AY883532, AY883533, AY883534, AY883535, AY883536, AY883537, AY883538, AY883539, AY883540, AY883541, AY883542, AY883543, AY883544, AY883545, AY883546, AY883547, AY883548, AY883549, AY883550, AY883551, AY883552, AY883553, AY883554, AY883555, AY883556, AY883557, AY883558, AY883559, AY883560, AY883561, AY883562, AY883563, AY883564, AY883565, AY883566, AY883567, AY883568
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/nature03863 PMC Full Text View journal details
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