玉米籽粒水分含量候选基因的选择驯化与种质演化规律研究OA

[Objective]Identifying key genes regulating maize seed moisture content and clarifying their evolutionary patterns in breeding materials from different eras is of great significance for the breeding of maize varieties suitable for mechanized harvesting.[Methods]In this study,297 candidate genes associated with grain moisture content in maize were collected.The GO enrichment analysis was performed to elucidate the biological processes in which these genes are involved.Evolutionary analysis of the promoter regions of candidate genes was conducted using maize wild relatives,landraces,and American inbred lines to assess their selection signatures during domestication.Meanwhile,the allele frequency dynamics of candidate genes during genetic improvement were analyzed using Chinese maize germplasm from different breeding eras.Key genes subjected to both domestication selection and genetic improvement selection were identified through intersection analysis.Subsequently,the differences in grain moisture content among different genotypes of the key genes were analyzed,along with the frequency changes of target alleles during the breeding process.[Results]The GO enrichment analysis revealed that the 297 candidate genes were significantly enriched in biological processes such as cell wall organization and oxidation-reduction reactions,suggesting that these processes may be involved in regulating seed moisture-related traits.The evolutionary analysis indicated that the promoter regions of candidate genes were under selection during domestication,and some genes were also selected during the genetic improvement process of Chinese maize germplasm across different breeding eras.Through intersection analysis,seven key genes subjected to both domestication selection and genetic improvement selection were identified.Among them,three genes showed significant differences in grain moisture content among different genotypes;in addition,the allele frequency associated with higher grain moisture content of other two genes exhibited a continuous decreasing trend during genetic improvement.[Conclusion]This study provides theoretical support for elucidating the germplasm evolution pattern of grain moisture content in maize and offers important candidate gene resources for breeding machine-harvestable maize varieties.