000			03560nab|a22004937a|4500
001			69717
003			MX-TxCIM
005			20251223133112.0
008			251215s2025 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
022			_a1040-4651
022			_a1532-298X (Online)
024	8		_ahttps://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koaf199
040			_aMX-TxCIM
041			_aeng
100	0		_aFengkai Wu _96532
245	1	4	_aThe blue light receptor ZmFKF1a recruits ZmGI1 to the nucleus to accelerate shoot apex development and flowering in maize
260			_aUnited States of America : _bOxford University Press, _c2025.
500			_aPeer review
500			_aOpen Access
520			_aPhotoperiod sensitivity poses a major obstacle to the expansion, breeding, and production of maize (Zea mays) in temperate regions. While the photoperiod-dependent FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)/ZCNs pathway modulates floral development, the mechanism by which crops perceive specific light wavelengths and regulate flowering remains largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the rhythmic expression of the blue light receptor FLAVIN-BINDING KELCH REPEAT F-BOX 1a (ZmFKF1a) is finely controlled by the Evening Complex (EC) components of LUX ARRHYTHMO 2 (ZmLUX2). ZmFKF1a interacts with GIGANTEA 1 (ZmGI1), stabilizing it and promoting its nuclear localization via a blue light-dependent mechanism. In the nucleus, ZmGI1 directly binds and activates Zea mays MADS-box 4 (ZMM4), a MADS-box gene specifically expressed in the shoot apical meristem, which drives floral transition. Genetic analyses revealed that ZmGI1 is epistatic to ZmFKF1a in promoting shoot apex development and accelerating flowering in maize. Our findings elucidate a ZmLUX2-ZmFKF1a–ZmGI1-ZMM4 regulatory module that fine-tunes photoperiodic flowering of day-neutral temperate maize lines, functioning independently of ZEA CENTRORADIALISs (ZCNs). Furthermore, transgenic maize overexpressing ZmFKF1a exhibited accelerated flowering and enhanced yield specifically in photoperiod-sensitive tropical maize lines under extreme natural long-day conditions, underscoring its potential application in improving maize production through precise manipulation of flowering traits. These insights advance our understanding of how blue light signaling orchestrates flowering time in maize and offer a promising strategy for optimizing crop performance in diverse environments.
546			_aText in English
597			_dNational Key Research and Development Program _dNational Natural Science Foundation of China _dSichuan Provincial Natural Science Foundation _fBreeding for Tomorrow _uhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/179259
650		7	_aFlowering _2AGROVOC _93729
650		7	_aMaize _2AGROVOC _91173
650		7	_aPhotoperiod _940110 _2AGROVOC
650		7	_aCrop improvement _2AGROVOC _91059
650		7	_aLight stimuli _2AGROVOC _940940
700	0		_aYan Kang _940941
700	0		_aLing Liu _940942
700	0		_aJingxin Lei _940943
700	0		_aBing He _98397
700	0		_aYafeng He _940944
700	0		_aJing Li _910399
700	0		_aFangyuan Liu _940945
700	0		_aQingguo Du _94238
700	0		_aXuecai Zhang _gGlobal Maize Program _8INT3400 _9951
700	0		_aJie Xu _96518
700	0		_aZhanmei Zhou _940946
700	0		_aYaxi Liu _920511
700	0		_aYanli Lu _96408
773	0		_tPlant Cell _gv. 37, no. 9, art. koaf199 _dUnited States of America : Oxford University Press, 2025. _x1040-4651 _wG444972
856	4		_yOpen Access through DSpace _uhttps://hdl.handle.net/10883/36394
942			_cJA _n0 _2ddc
999			_c69717 _d69709