Identification of auxin response factor ARF27 as a regulator of maize root morphogenesis.

Lowering maize AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR27 (ZmARF27) levels in Zea mays seedlings produces short primary roots and auxin insensitivity, linked to altered transcriptional responses.

• Why it matters: Auxin controls root development, but the genetic basis of auxin-mediated primary root growth in maize remains insufficiently defined.
• What they did: A GWAS using 618 Wisconsin Diversity panel accessions for root growth response was followed by reverse genetics and in silico gene regulatory network reconstruction to prioritize ZmARF27.
• The result: An ZmARF27 gene regulatory network connected it to classical root development genes, auxin pathway genes, and cell wall biogenesis genes, supporting ZmARF27 as a genetic driver of auxin-mediated root growth and gene expression in maize.

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