The maize mTERF18 regulates transcriptional termination of the mitochondrial nad6 gene and is essential for kernel development

作     者：Zhengwei Guan Yong Wang Jun Yang Zhengwei Guan;Yong Wang;Jun Yang

作者机构：National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress ResistanceCollege of Life ScienceAnhui Agricultural UniversityHefeiAnhui 230036China Key Lab of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation BiologyMinistry of EducationSchool of Life SciencesShandong UniversityQingdaoShandong 266237China 

出 版 物：《Journal of Genetics and Genomics》 (遗传学报(英文版))

年 卷 期：2025年第52卷第3期

页      面：422-431页

核心收录：

学科分类：09[农学] 0901[农学-作物学] 

基　　金：supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFF1000304) the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32222060) Anhui Agricultural University(RC422404)to J.Y 

主　　题：mTERF18 Mitochondria Zea mays Transcriptional termination Kernel development Nad6 

摘      要：Mitochondria are semi-autonomous organelles present in eukaryotic cells,containing their own genome and transcriptional ***,their functions are intricately linked to proteins encoded by the nuclear *** transcription termination factors(mTERFs)are nucleic acid-binding proteins involved in RNA splicing and transcription termination within plant mitochondria and *** their recognized importance,the specific roles of mTERF proteins in maize remain largely ***,we clone and functionally characterize the maize mTERF18 *** findings reveal that mTERF18 mutations lead to severely undifferentiated embryos,resulting in abortive *** kernel exhibits abnormal basal endosperm transfer layer and a significant reduction in both starch and protein accumulation in *** identify the mTERF18 gene through mapping-based cloning and validate this gene through allelic ***18 is widely expressed across various maize tissues and encodes a highly conserved mitochondrial *** data reveal that mTERF18 mutations disrupt transcriptional termination of the nad6 gene,leading to undetectable levels of Nad6 protein and reduced complex I assembly and ***,transmission electron microscopy observation of mterf18 endosperm uncover severe mitochondrial ***,these findings highlight the critical role of mTERF18 in mitochondrial gene transcription termination and its pivotal impact on maize kernel development.