Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42919309›Full record

ArticleGenome biology2026

ZmEMF1a is required for the maintenance of H2Aub and H3K27me3 modifications in maize kernel development.

Yueheng Zhou, Jianrui Li, Yingshuang Li, Zilong Zhao, Guoyong Liu, Xiaojie Li, Chunlei Wang, Tong Li, Shengnan Liu, Weibin Song and 6 more

Abstract read
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Article in Genome biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Yueheng Zhou *State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Jianrui Li *State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding/Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
Yingshuang Li *State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Zilong Zhao *State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Guoyong LiuState Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Xiaojie LiNational Engineering Research Center for Vegetables, Beijing Vegetable Research Center, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing, 100097, China.
Chunlei WangCollege of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.
Tong LiState Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Shengnan LiuState Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Weibin SongState Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Jian ChenState Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Yan GuoState Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Jinsheng LaiFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, Key Laboratory of Genome Editing Research and Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Hainan ZhaoFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, Key Laboratory of Genome Editing Research and Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. hnzhao@cau.edu.cn.
Haiming ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. haiming223@163.com.
Zhijia YangFrontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), State Key Laboratory of Maize Bio-Breeding, Key Laboratory of Genome Editing Research and Application, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, National Maize Improvement Center, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. yangzhijia@cau.edu.cn.

Funding

China National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents BX20190376China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2020M670535Chinese Universities Scientific Fund 15054024National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFD1202900Pinduoduo-China Agricultural University Research Fund PC2023A01004Science and Technology Demonstration Project of Shandong Province 2024SFGC0402The National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars 32425041
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPolycomb group (PcG) proteins silence gene expression by depositing histone modifications such as H2Aub and H3K27me3, and this process is essential for maintaining cell type and tissue-specific gene expression patterns. However, the role of PcG proteins in regulating gene expression through H2Aub and H3K27me3 during maize kernel development remains poorly understood.

resultsHere, we characterize a maize miniature seed mutant, mn8, and identify the causal gene as ZmEMF1a, a plant-specific PcG protein. A mutation in ZmEMF1a significantly reduces kernel size and weight. Molecular analyses demonstrate that ZmEMF1a interacts with ZmRING1 (a PRC1 component) and ZmMSI1 (a PRC2 component), which are essential for the establishment of H2Aub and H3K27me3 modifications. Loss of ZmEMF1a leads to a significant reduction in genomic levels of both H2Aub and H3K27me3. Integrated ChIP-seq and RNA-seq analyses revealed that H2Aub is negatively correlated with gene expression in maize, contrasting with the positive correlation reported in Arabidopsis. Compared with wild-type endosperms, mn8 endosperms exhibit up-regulated expression of cell proliferation repressor homologs, such as ZmDA1, ZmBB1, ZmES22, ZmMADS8, and ZmMADS14. Concurrently, these loci show reduced levels of H3K27me3 or H2Aub modifications. These findings suggest that ZmEMF1a deficiency disrupts the deposition of H3K27me3 and H2Aub marks at cell division regulators.

conclusionsOur results indicate that ZmEMF1a plays a crucial role in regulating maize kernel development by maintaining H2Aub and H3K27me3 modification levels.

Indexed as

Histone CodeHistonesPlant ProteinsPolycomb-Group ProteinsSeedsZea maysGene Expression Regulation, PlantMutationHistonesPlant ProteinsPolycomb-Group ProteinsH2AubH3K27me3Kernel developmentMaizePcG complex

Identifiers

PMID42919309

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