Functional Analysis of the ZmPR5 Gene Related to Resistance Against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize

Yang, Wei; Cai, Hongyu; Zhang, Yuanqi; Hao, Junheng; Ma, Yaqi; He, Qinxuan; Zhao, Kun; Li, Honggang; Fang, Ayue; Hou, Dalong; Ren, Xuejiao

doi:10.3390/plants14050737

Open AccessArticle

Functional Analysis of the ZmPR5 Gene Related to Resistance Against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize

by

Wei Yang

^1,†,

Hongyu Cai

^1,†,

Yuanqi Zhang

¹,

Junheng Hao

¹,

Yaqi Ma

¹,

Qinxuan He

¹,

Kun Zhao

¹,

Honggang Li

²,

Ayue Fang

¹,

Dalong Hou

¹ and

Xuejiao Ren

^1,*

¹

Agronomy Faculty, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China

²

Jilin City Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin City 132102, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Plants 2025, 14(5), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050737

Submission received: 10 January 2025 / Revised: 20 February 2025 / Accepted: 24 February 2025 / Published: 28 February 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)

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Abstract

In this study, the gene ZmPR5, associated with resistance to ear rot, was identified through transcriptome data analysis of the maize inbred line J1259. The gene was subsequently cloned and its function was investigated. The ZmPR5 gene comprises an open reading frame of 525 base pairs, encoding a protein of 175 amino acids. ZmPR5 was overexpressed in Arabidopsis and the ZmPR5EMS mutant in maize, and they were subjected to q-PCR and measurements of antioxidant enzyme activities (POD, SOD, CAT, MDA), electrical conductivity, and chlorophyll content. The results indicate that the expression of ZmPR5 is up-regulated upon infection by Fusarium verticillioides, with significant differences observed in the activities of POD, SOD, CAT, MDA, electrical conductivity, and chlorophyll content. The study found that ZmPR5 is localized in the nucleus and interacts with Zm00001d020492 (WRKY53) and Zm00001d042140 (glucA). Trypan blue staining revealed that the stained area in the ZmPR5EMS mutant of maize was significantly larger than that in B73. The expression of ZmPR5 is closely associated with resistance to maize ear rot.

Keywords: maize inbred line; J1259; Fusarium verticillioides; ear rot; ZmPR5; functional analysis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yang, W.; Cai, H.; Zhang, Y.; Hao, J.; Ma, Y.; He, Q.; Zhao, K.; Li, H.; Fang, A.; Hou, D.; et al. Functional Analysis of the ZmPR5 Gene Related to Resistance Against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize. Plants 2025, 14, 737. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050737

AMA Style

Yang W, Cai H, Zhang Y, Hao J, Ma Y, He Q, Zhao K, Li H, Fang A, Hou D, et al. Functional Analysis of the ZmPR5 Gene Related to Resistance Against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize. Plants. 2025; 14(5):737. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050737

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yang, Wei, Hongyu Cai, Yuanqi Zhang, Junheng Hao, Yaqi Ma, Qinxuan He, Kun Zhao, Honggang Li, Ayue Fang, Dalong Hou, and et al. 2025. "Functional Analysis of the ZmPR5 Gene Related to Resistance Against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize" Plants 14, no. 5: 737. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050737

APA Style

Yang, W., Cai, H., Zhang, Y., Hao, J., Ma, Y., He, Q., Zhao, K., Li, H., Fang, A., Hou, D., & Ren, X. (2025). Functional Analysis of the ZmPR5 Gene Related to Resistance Against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize. Plants, 14(5), 737. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050737

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Functional Analysis of the ZmPR5 Gene Related to Resistance Against Fusarium verticillioides in Maize

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