Research Progress on Molecular Mechanisms of Heat Stress Affecting the Growth and Development of Maize

doi:10.11983/CBB24049

Abstract

Abstract: Plants encounter various abiotic stresses throughout their lifecycle, including heat, drought, and salt stress, all of which have diverse impacts on their growth and development. Global warming has exacerbated the impact of heat stress on crops such as maize, potentially leading to growth retardation and reduced reproductive capacity. As an important staple crop, the yield and quality of maize are severely compromised by heat stress. Plants respond to heat stress through complex molecular mechanisms involving multiple signal transduction pathways and the regulation of gene expression. It is crucial to use advanced techniques such as genetics, genomics, multi-omics analysis, and high-throughput phenotyping to extensively explore and analyze the genes and loci associated to abiotic stress tolerance, including heat stress, in the maize genome. These studies not only deepen our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying maize stress tolerance but also provide valuable molecular markers and candidate gene resources for breeders to accelerate the development of new maize varieties.

Key words: maize, growth and development, heat stress, heat resistance

Tao Wang, Jinglei Feng, Cui Zhang. Research Progress on Molecular Mechanisms of Heat Stress Affecting the Growth and Development of Maize[J]. Chinese Bulletin of Botany, 2024, 59(6): 963-977.

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URL: https://www.chinbullbotany.com/EN/10.11983/CBB24049

https://www.chinbullbotany.com/EN/Y2024/V59/I6/963

Figures/Tables 1

Figure 1 A regulatory network responding to heat stress in plants Heat stress damages cell membranes when plants are exposed to heat stress leading to the release of apoplastic Ca2+. This disruption results in the dysfunction of chloroplast and mitochondrial, causing increased levels of both Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cytoplasm, alone with an excessive accumulation of misfolded or unfolded proteins. The increased Ca2+ and ROS serve as secondary messengers, stimulating downstream regulatory networks. Heat stress disrupts protein homeostasis, prompting the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and signaling pathways mediated by IRE1-ZmZIP60. ZmZIP60, in turn, activates the expression of type-A heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) and HSFTF13, which subsequently upregulates the expression of heat shock protein (HSP) genes (such as HSP90).

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