Molecular regulation of <i>ZmMs7</i> required for maize male fertility and development of a dominant male-sterility system in multiple species
Xueli An, Biao Ma, Meijuan Duan, Zhenying Dong, Ruogu Liu, Dingyang Yuan, Quancan Hou, Suowei Wu, Danfeng Zhang, Dongcheng Liu, Dong Yu, Yuwen Zhang, Ke Xie, Taotao Zhu, Ziwen Li, Simiao Zhang, Youhui Tian, Chang Liu, Jin‐Ping Li, Longping Yuan, Xiangyuan Wan
Abstract
Significance Developing a male-sterility system that is effective in multiple species is essential for hybrid seed production in different plants, especially for plants without cloned male-sterility genes. Here, we identified the transcriptional regulation mechanism for maize male-sterility gene ZmMs7 and thereby developed a dominant male-sterility system that was proved to be effective in maize, rice, and Arabidopsis . Compared with current male-sterility systems, this system has potential advantages, e.g., utilization of a single transgene cassette, high stability of male sterility under different genetic backgrounds, and producing fluorescent transgenic and normal color nontransgenic F 1 hybrid seeds which can be used flexibly in different countries where transgenic crop cultivation is prohibited or allowed. Therefore, it is a simple, cost-effective, and multiple-crop-applicable biotechnology.