Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41698926›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

NUT1-Exo70A1 Regulates Xylem Vessel Development and Influences Water Use Efficiency in Maize.

Tengfei Zhu, Yanyan Wang, Yijie Wang, Chen Wang, Yu Liu, Jiafan He, Bochen Zhao, Shengxue Liu, Yongyan Lian, Liuji Wu and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Plant direct · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Tengfei Zhu *Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Yanyan Wang *Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Yijie WangFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-2852-5233
Chen WangFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Yu LiuFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Jiafan HeFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Bochen ZhaoFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Shengxue LiuFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1273-9438
Yongyan LianFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Liuji WuState Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Production of Wheat-Maize Double Cropping, College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0653-2193
Jinkui ChengCenter for Crop Functional Genomics and Molecular Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Zhirui YangFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. rynn_yang@cau.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2131-5864
Feng QinFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. qinfeng@cau.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9134-4711

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32430010
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Efficient water uptake and transport through xylem vessels are essential for plant growth and development. The patterned secondary cell wall (SCW) structure of xylem vessels provides robust mechanical support to withstand the strong negative pressure generated by transpiration and facilitates long-distance water transport. However, the key factors governing SCW patterning in xylem vessels and their potential for enhancing water use efficiency (WUE) remain undetermined. Here, we report the identification of a recessive maize (Zea mays) mutant drought-sensitive 1 (ds1), which is highly susceptible to water deficit. ds1 defects in SCW patterning and xylem vessel differentiation, and exhibits significantly reduced hydraulic conductivity. DS1 is the ortholog of Arabidopsis Exo70A1 and is regulated by the NAC transcription factor NECROTIC UPPER TIPS1 (NUT1) in vascular tissues. Overexpressing Exo70A1 enhanced hydraulic conductivity and consequently boosted biomass and grain yield under both well-watered and drought conditions. Thus, the NUT1-Exo70A1 module represents a promising genetic target for improving WUE in crops.

Indexed as

Plant ProteinsTranscription FactorsWaterXylemZea maysCell WallDrought ResistanceDroughtsGene Expression Regulation, PlantMutationPlants, Genetically ModifiedPlant ProteinsTranscription FactorsWater

Identifiers

PMID41698926
PMCPMC13022148

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.