Maize Inositol Polyphosphate 5-phosphatase Gene Family Analysis Reveals Zm5PTase25 as a Negative Regulator of Low Phosphate-Induced Leaf Senescence.

Zm5PTase25 acts as a negative regulator of low phosphate-induced leaf senescence in maize, with its silencing accelerating senescence and overexpression delaying it.

• Why it matters: Understanding the molecular mechanisms of Pi deficiency-induced leaf senescence is crucial for improving maize adaptation to phosphate starvation, a common stress affecting crop yields.
• What they did: Researchers identified 31 Zm5PTase genes in maize, focusing on Zm5PTase25, which is downregulated under low Pi stress; they conducted gene expression, silencing, overexpression, and in vitro enzyme activity assays, and analyzed upstream regulators like ZmPHL6.
• The result: Silencing Zm5PTase25 promotes senescence and Pi remobilization, while overexpression delays senescence, suggesting the ZmPHL6-Zm5PTase25 module influences Pi remobilization and leaf aging under Pi deficiency.