ZmMKK4, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, influences maize kernel size.

Maize kernel size is regulated by multiple genetic pathways, including the evolutionarily conserved mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, which plays crucial roles in plant growth and development. However, the function of MAPKK kinases in maize kernel development remains poorly understood. Here, we identified mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (ZmMKK4) as a positive regulator of kernel development in maize. ZmMKK4 is localized primarily in the nucleus and cytoplasm and shows high expression levels across multiple tissues, including kernels. Knockout mutants of zmmkk4 resulted in significantly reduced kernel size and weight, accompanied by severe impairments in kernel development. Furthermore, we observed a decrease in starch content accompanied by an increase in protein content in the mutant kernels. In summary, our study elucidates the role of ZmMKK4 in promoting kernel size and modulating starch and protein accumulation in maize, providing important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying kernel development. These findings offer a theoretical foundation and a candidate gene for further research into maize kernel development and molecular breeding strategies.

• Publication year

  2026

• Venue

  Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

• Publication date

  2026-01-20

• Fields of study

  Biology, Agricultural and Food Sciences, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111062PMID 41570635
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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