A team that includes Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists has unlocked some of the secrets of corn DNA, revealing how specific sections of genetic material control vital traits such as plant architecture and pest resistance.
The discovery could enable scientists to use new technologies to improve corn, making it more resilient and productive, the scientists said.
In a report in the science journal Nature Plants, researchers described finding where certain proteins called transcription factors attach to the DNA in corn plants and how this sticking changes how genes are turned on or off in a particular tissue. They looked at two lines of corn and found big differences at these spots in the DNA sequence, which they said could help explain why the plants look and act differently.
“In this work, we discovered where transcription factors are binding in the genome and therefore influencing the expression of maize [corn] genes,” said Andrea Gallavotti, a professor at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology and an author of the study. “Importantly, we did this analysis in two distinct maize [corn] lines that are different for many traits, including resistance to disease and architecture.”
In North America, “corn” and “maize” refer to the same cereal grain. However, “maize” is the more internationally recognized and scientifically preferred term, said Gallavotti, also a professor in the Department of Plant Biology in the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
Corn or maize touches many aspects of daily life worldwide. It is a staple food for many cultures around the world and is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It also has major industrial applications -- used as livestock feed, for the production of biodegradable plastics, adhesives and textiles, and to produce ethanol.
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