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Background <p>Autophagy represents an ancient cytoprotective program that sustains cell viability under metabolic or environmental stresses via targeted recycling of cellular components. However, the contribution of <i>ATG18s</i> in maize is ambiguous.</p> Results <p>This work aims to identify and characterize the maize <i>ZmATG18</i> subfamily genes at the whole-genome level and a total of eight <i>ZmATG18</i> subfamily genes were identified. Gene duplication analysis showed that segmental duplication events were involved in the <i>ZmATG18</i> gene evolution process. Promoter analysis suggested that <i>ZmATG18</i> genes contained numerous stress and hormone-related elements. The phylogenetic relationships, conserved motifs and gene structure analysis revealed that <i>ZmATG18</i> subfamily members were highly comparable to their counterparts in <i>Arabidopsis</i>, rice and tomato. The expression profiles of <i>ZmATG18</i> gene family during development revealed that <i>ZmATG18</i> genes exhibited distinct tissue-specific expression patterns at different developmental stages in maize. Furthermore, the role of <i>ZmATG18a</i> was analyzed under drought stress. Subcellular localization showed that ZmATG18a was present in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. <i>ZmATG18a</i> plays a positive role in drought stress since the stop-of-gain EMS mutant of <i>ZmATG18a</i> was more sensitive to drought stress whereas the <i>Mutator</i> mutant which showed higher <i>ATG18a</i> expression was less sensitive to drought stress.</p> Conclusions <p>In this study, we identified the <i>ZmATG18</i> subfamily members in B73 inbred line for their physicochemical properties, gene structures, conserved motifs, phylogenetic analysis, expression profile analysis. Finally, <i>ZmATG18a</i> was demonstrated to play a positive role in drought stress. This study provides insights into the diversity of <i>ZmATG18</i> subfamily genes and their potential role in drought stress. More importantly, <i>ZmATG18a</i> was identified to be potential target for genetic engineering to improve drought stress tolerance of maize. </p>

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Identification of the ZmATG18 subfamily genes in maize and the role of ZmATG18a in drought stress

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月26日

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  • Ziming Wang,
  • Feiyan Luo,
  • Cheng Meng,
  • Jihao Si,
  • Wenzhi Zhang,
  • Jiahao Sun,
  • Zhe Wang

摘要

Background

Autophagy represents an ancient cytoprotective program that sustains cell viability under metabolic or environmental stresses via targeted recycling of cellular components. However, the contribution of ATG18s in maize is ambiguous.

Results

This work aims to identify and characterize the maize ZmATG18 subfamily genes at the whole-genome level and a total of eight ZmATG18 subfamily genes were identified. Gene duplication analysis showed that segmental duplication events were involved in the ZmATG18 gene evolution process. Promoter analysis suggested that ZmATG18 genes contained numerous stress and hormone-related elements. The phylogenetic relationships, conserved motifs and gene structure analysis revealed that ZmATG18 subfamily members were highly comparable to their counterparts in Arabidopsis, rice and tomato. The expression profiles of ZmATG18 gene family during development revealed that ZmATG18 genes exhibited distinct tissue-specific expression patterns at different developmental stages in maize. Furthermore, the role of ZmATG18a was analyzed under drought stress. Subcellular localization showed that ZmATG18a was present in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. ZmATG18a plays a positive role in drought stress since the stop-of-gain EMS mutant of ZmATG18a was more sensitive to drought stress whereas the Mutator mutant which showed higher ATG18a expression was less sensitive to drought stress.

Conclusions

In this study, we identified the ZmATG18 subfamily members in B73 inbred line for their physicochemical properties, gene structures, conserved motifs, phylogenetic analysis, expression profile analysis. Finally, ZmATG18a was demonstrated to play a positive role in drought stress. This study provides insights into the diversity of ZmATG18 subfamily genes and their potential role in drought stress. More importantly, ZmATG18a was identified to be potential target for genetic engineering to improve drought stress tolerance of maize.