Gene Details:

• Gene ID: Zm00001eb400120
• Gene Symbol: ZMM8;ZmMADS8
• Gene Name: Zea mays MADS8
• Genome: Zm-B73-REFERENCE-NAM-5.0
• Species: Zea mays

Functional Descriptions:

• Here we report the cDNA cloning of a pair of MADS box genes, ZMM8 and ZMM14, from the monocotyledonous plant maize.
• Although upper and lower florets develop in a very similar way in male inflorescences, ZMM8 and ZMM14 expression was found in all organs of upper florets, but no transcripts were detected in lower florets. In contrast, two other MADS box genes were found to be expressed in lower florets in the same way as in upper florets.
• Our observations suggest that during spikelet development ZMM8 and ZMM14 work as selector genes which are involved in distinguishing the upper from the lower floret.
• Previous studies have shown that MADS-box family genes play an important role in plant organ development.
• In the single mutants of ZmMADS8 and ZmMADS14, the meristem of the florets developed normally and were able to produce normal epistatic florets. However, in CR-Zmmads8/14 double mutant, the meristem of florets does not differentiate into lower floral organs, but reverse to indefinite long branches, unable to produce normal floral organs.
• ZmMADS8 and ZmMADS14 are the key factors in the fate of floret meristem.

Function-related keywords:

• development ,  spikelet ,  plant development ,  spikelet development ,  organ development ,  meristem

Literature:

• Expression of MADS box genes ZMM8 and ZMM14 during inflorescence development of Zea mays discriminates between the upper and the lower floret of each spikelet.   DOI:  10.1007/s004270050271 ;  PMID:  10370124
• Gene duplication at the Fascicled ear1 locus controls the fate of inflorescence meristem cells in maize.   DOI:  10.1073/pnas.2019218118 ;  PMID:  33579824
• A spatial transcriptome map of the developing maize ear.   DOI:  10.1038/s41477-024-01683-2 ;  PMID:  38745100

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Gene Resources:

• NCBI ID: LOC541985   GU443945.1
• UniProt accessions: D3YBA5

Sequences: