Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search The TATA-box binding protein-associated factor ZmTAF11 regulates plant architecture in maize

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jia.2026.02.006

Fengzhong Lu1, You Zhou1, Yajie Liu1, Xin Zhang1, Tao Wan1, Jingtao Qu2, Wanchen Li1, Fengling Fu1, Wei Guo1, Haijian Lin1, 3, Jianfeng Hu1, Jie Xu1, Guangchao Sun1, Yao Wang1, Yanli Lu1, 4#, Haoqiang Yu1#

Abstract

Compact maize architecture is crucial for high planting densities and yields, which is a key breeding objective. In this study, a maize T-DNA insertion mutant with compact plant architecture (cpa) was identified, showing reduced leaf curling, drooping angle, plant and ear height, leaf dimensions, internode and tassel length, tassel branch number, and yield compared to WT. Paraffin section analysis showed reduced vein cross-sectional area, epidermal cell width, and increased vein density in the cpa mutant. Genetic analysis revealed that T-DNA was inserted into the first exon of a gene encoding TATA-box binding protein-associated factor (TAF) in the cpa mutant, which was named ZmTAF11. ZmTAF11 exhibited ubiquitous expression across various tissues and nuclear localization. Loss-of-function Zmtaf11 mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 exhibited the characteristic compact phenotype, which was consistent with that of the cpa mutant. ZmTAF11 directly binds to the promoters of leaf morphogenesis-related genes ZmAXL and ZmBOB1, thereby promoting their transcription. Furthermore, four SNPs in ZmTAF11 were significantly associated with ear height index (EHI), and the AGTG haplotype showed a lower EHI. This haplotype was predominantly found in temperate maize lines and geographically distributed across North America. These findings reveal the role of ZmTAF11 in regulating maize architecture and its potential application in high-density maize breeding.