TaCNGC-2A suppresses seed dormancy and activates pre-harvest sprouting through modulating calcium and hormonal signaling pathways
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Weak seed dormancy (SD) is prone to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS), which reduces cereal yield and quality. Here, through map-based analysis, we identify TaCNGC-2A, encoding a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel protein, as a negative regulator of wheat SD. Knocking out of TaCNGC-2A enhances SD and PHS resistance, with no yield penalty. Two transcription factors, TaMYB-5B and TaMYB-5D, directly bind to the T/A mutation site of TaCNGC-2A promoter to synergistically repress its expression. The calmodulin TaCaM-3A interacts with TaCNGC-2A to jointly modulate SD and PHS resistance through influencing calcium and multiple hormonal signaling pathways. Knocking out of TaCaM-3A not only enhances SD and PHS resistance, but also increases grain weight and per-plant yield. Finally, we identify allele combinations of TaCNGC-2A and other known dormancy genes associated with strong SD. This study uncovers a regulatory mechanism underlying SD and PHS resistance and provides gene targets for breeding wheat varieties with PHS resistance. Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) causes severe yield and quality loss in cereal crops worldwide. Here, the authors report a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel/Ca2 + -permeable channel encoding protein negatively regulate PHS and its involvement in modulating of calcium and hormonal signaling pathways in wheat.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Bingbing Tian, Yuhui Fang, Yingjun Zhang, Xinran Cheng, Jiajia Cao, Cheng Kou, Wei Liu, Zhaoyu Yu, Jing Chen, Buyun Li, Huanfeng Wang, Shuying Lei, Wei Gao, Litian Zhang, Yuxia Lv, Shengxing Wang, Hongqi Si, Jie Lu, Can Chen, Wenyang Ge, Cheng Chang, Chuanxi Ma, Yong-Ling Ruan, Haiping Zhang
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
OpenAlex ID: W7141514979