Teosinte alleles enhance nitrogen assimilation and seed protein in maize

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Huang, Yongcai; Zhu, Yidong; Cui, Yahui; Shi, Guolong; Wu, Xiaoxian; Li, Wenhao; Chen, Zhiteng; Zhou, Yu; Gu, Yincong; Bao, Zhigui; Luo, Shiqi; Wu, Xingguo; Li, Ruifan; Liu, Jingjing; Dai, Xiangjie; Liu, Junxin; Chen, Di; Gao, Lulu; You, Chong; Li, Youliang; Zhang, Yu; Wang, Wenqin; Wang, Haihai; Wu, Yongrui
• 署名单位: Chinese Academy of Sciences; Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, CAS; Sichuan Agricultural University; Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS; Shanghai Normal University
• 刊物名称: NATURE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10575-8
• 发表日期: 2026-07-23
• 关键词: GENETIC-ANALYSIS; GRAIN PROTEIN; yield; traits; plants; metabolism; carbon; wheat

摘要

During maize (Zea mays L.) domestication, seed protein content sharply declined1,2. In plants, glutamine and asparagine levels are closely correlated with protein content3,4. Asparagine is synthesized from glutamine, a process catalysed by asparagine synthase5. Teosinte harbours a superior haplotype of asparagine synthase 4 (ASN4)2. Here, we report that teosinte also possesses a superior haplotype gene promoting glutamine synthesis. We identify and clone teosinte high protein 3 (THP3), which encodes glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase 1 (GOT1), a key enzyme involved in nitrogen assimilation and carbon-nitrogen balance. The superior THP3-T allele, subjected to negative selection during domestication, has natural variations that boost both its expression and enzymatic activity. Overexpressing THP3-T, but not the modern THP3-B allele, significantly increases seed protein, representing altered carbon-nitrogen composition. Pyramiding THP3-T with THP9-T (the latter encoding asparagine synthase 4 (ASN4)) synergistically elevates both seed and whole-plant protein in elite hybrids while maintaining yield. Our findings demonstrate a powerful strategy for crop improvement by reintroducing beneficial rare alleles disfavoured during domestication from wild relatives.