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Plants
Volume 14
Issue 23
10.3390/plants14233656
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Zea Maize Calmodulin (ZmCaM2) Regulates Drought Tolerance in Corn Plants Through an Abscisic Acid-Dependent Signaling Pathway

by
Meiyi Liu
1,†,
Pengxiang Bao
1,†,
Hanqiao Wang
1,†,
Zhiqiang Wu
1,
Zhen Wang
1,2,
Xiangyu Xing
1,
Wei Yang
1,
Xuejiao Ren
1,
Jiabin Ci
1,
Liangyu Jiang
1,* and
Zhenyuan Zang
1,*
1
College of Agriculture, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
2
Xiangzhou District Talent Development Center, Xiangyang 441000, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors have contributed equally to this work.
Plants 2025, 14(23), 3656; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233656 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 24 October 2025 / Revised: 25 November 2025 / Accepted: 28 November 2025 / Published: 30 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Signaling in Plant Development)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Calmodulins (CaMs), which are important calcium-binding proteins, play critical roles in plant stress responses. However, limited information is available regarding the biological functions of CaMs under drought stress. In this study, we identified and isolated a CaM gene, ZmCaM2, from maize (Zea mays L.) in length and encodes a 184-amino acid protein containing four EF-hand domains capable of specifically binding calcium ions (Ca2+). Subcellular localization analysis revealed that ZmCaM2 is localized to the nucleus and membrane. Functional characterization indicated that ZmCaM2 negatively regulates drought tolerance in maize by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content while decreasing antioxidant enzyme activity, proline (Pro) content, abscisic acid (ABA) content and relative water content (RWC). Moreover, ZmCaM2 reduced maize sensitivity to ABA treatment, suggesting that ZmCaM2 negatively regulates the drought tolerance of maize by relying on the ABA pathway. These findings provide new insights into the functional role of ZmCaM2 and may facilitate the development of drought-resistant maize cultivars.
Keywords: ZmCaM2; maize; drought; ABA; signaling pathway ZmCaM2; maize; drought; ABA; signaling pathway

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Liu, M.; Bao, P.; Wang, H.; Wu, Z.; Wang, Z.; Xing, X.; Yang, W.; Ren, X.; Ci, J.; Jiang, L.; et al. Zea Maize Calmodulin (ZmCaM2) Regulates Drought Tolerance in Corn Plants Through an Abscisic Acid-Dependent Signaling Pathway. Plants 2025, 14, 3656. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233656

AMA Style

Liu M, Bao P, Wang H, Wu Z, Wang Z, Xing X, Yang W, Ren X, Ci J, Jiang L, et al. Zea Maize Calmodulin (ZmCaM2) Regulates Drought Tolerance in Corn Plants Through an Abscisic Acid-Dependent Signaling Pathway. Plants. 2025; 14(23):3656. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233656

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liu, Meiyi, Pengxiang Bao, Hanqiao Wang, Zhiqiang Wu, Zhen Wang, Xiangyu Xing, Wei Yang, Xuejiao Ren, Jiabin Ci, Liangyu Jiang, and et al. 2025. "Zea Maize Calmodulin (ZmCaM2) Regulates Drought Tolerance in Corn Plants Through an Abscisic Acid-Dependent Signaling Pathway" Plants 14, no. 23: 3656. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233656

APA Style

Liu, M., Bao, P., Wang, H., Wu, Z., Wang, Z., Xing, X., Yang, W., Ren, X., Ci, J., Jiang, L., & Zang, Z. (2025). Zea Maize Calmodulin (ZmCaM2) Regulates Drought Tolerance in Corn Plants Through an Abscisic Acid-Dependent Signaling Pathway. Plants, 14(23), 3656. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233656

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