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Kernel lysine content does not increase in some maize opaque2 mutants

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Abstract

The recessive mutant allele of the opaque2 gene (o2) alters the endosperm protein pattern and increases the kernel lysine content of maize (Zea mays L.). In this study, sequencing results showed that the o2 mutant was successfully introgressed into 12 elite normal maize inbred lines by marker assisted selection (MAS). The average genetic similarity between these normal inbred lines and their o2 near-isogenic lines (NILs) was more than 95%. Kernel lysine content increased significantly in most of o2 NILs lines relative to normal elite inbreds, but remained unchanged in the genetic backgrounds Dan598o2 and Liao2345o2. Moreover, the kernel characteristics of these two o2 NILs did not differ from the other inbred lines. The results of lysine content analysis in the F1 hybrids between Liao2345o2 and Dan598o2 and other o2 NILs demonstrated that gene(s) other than opaque2 may control kernel lysine content in these two o2 NILs. The results of zein analysis showed that 22-kD α-zein synthesis was reduced or absent, and the 19-kD α-zein synthesis was greatly reduced compared with the recurrent parents in most o2 NILs except for Dan598o2 and Liao2345o2. Our results indicate that gene(s) other than opaque2 may play more important roles in zein synthesis and kernel lysine content in some maize genetic backgrounds.

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Abbreviations

AFLP:

Amplified fragment length polymorphism

cyPPDK1:

Cytoplasmic pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase

LKR/SDH:

Lys-ketoglutarate reductase and saccharopine dehydrogenase

MAS:

Marker-assisted selection

NILs:

Near-isogenic lines

o2 :

opaque2 gene

QPM:

Quality protein maize

SSR:

Simple sequence repeat

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Acknowledgments

The present study was supported by NSFC (National Natural Science Foundation of China) (30571169), the earmarked fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System of Maize, 948 project (2006-G3), MOA (Chinese Ministry of Agriculture).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maize Center, Department of Crop Genetics and Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, People’s Republic of China

    Gang Zhao, Mingshun Li, Degui Zhang, Xinhai Li, Xiaoke Ci, Chuanxiao Xie, Li Bai, Zhenyu Lu, Liang Chen, Zhuanfang Hao & Shihuang Zhang

  2. Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530005, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China

    Gang Zhao & Zikai Wu

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  1. Gang Zhao
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  2. Mingshun Li
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  3. Degui Zhang
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  4. Xinhai Li
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  5. Zikai Wu
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  6. Xiaoke Ci
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  7. Chuanxiao Xie
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  8. Li Bai
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  9. Zhenyu Lu
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  10. Liang Chen
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  11. Zhuanfang Hao
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  12. Shihuang Zhang
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Correspondence to Shihuang Zhang.

Additional information

G. Zhao and M. Li contributed equally to this work.

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Zhao, G., Li, M., Zhang, D. et al. Kernel lysine content does not increase in some maize opaque2 mutants. Planta 235, 205–215 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-011-1491-z

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