Maize, a vital cereal in global agriculture, faces significant yield challenges due to drought exacerbated by climate change. This study explores the genetic and molecular bases of drought resilience in maize, focusing on the EPF/EPFL gene family known for its role in stomatal regulation. Through a genome-wide analysis across seven grass species, we identified and characterized 16 ZmEPF/EPFL genes in maize. Focusing on their gene structure, expression patterns, and evolutionary relationships. The study integrated genome-wide searches, phylogenetic analysis, gene expression profiling under drought and other abiotic stresses, and qRT-PCR validation to elucidate the functional roles of these genes in drought response. Our results demonstrate that specific ZmEPF/EPFL genes are differentially expressed under varying drought conditions, suggesting their involvement in the plant’s adaptive response to water scarcity. Furthermore, interaction analyses reveal that these genes are linked to key processes such as stomatal development and oxidative stress management. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the ZmEPF/EPFL gene family’s contribution to stomatal development and drought tolerance, offering insights that could guide future breeding strategies for drought-resistant maize varieties.

Drought is a major abiotic stress that affects the growth and yield of maize. Alternative transcripts are crucial in abiotic stress responses in plants. Ho

The NSUN family is essential for RNA 5-methylcytosine modification (m5C) in eukar-yotes. However, no NSUN genes have been identified in maize, and the characteristics of ZmNSUN genes remain unexplored. Here, we performed a comprehensive in-vestigation of NSUN genes across seven Poaceae species. Our analysis identified a total of 63 Poaceae NSUN genes, including eight ZmNSUN genes in maize. Phylogenetic and feature analyses classified the Poaceae NSUNs into six subgroups (SGs), suggest-ing that the divergence of these SGs may have occurred prior to the divergence between plants and animals. Expression profiling indicated that ZmNSUN genes are generally repressed by heat stress. Co-expression network analysis suggested potential roles of ZmNSUN genes in maize development, and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis results demonstrated that expression levels of multiple ZmNSUN genes are significantly associated with maize agronomic traits. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the evolutionary dynamics of the NSUN family and highlight specific ZmNSUN genes as promising candidates for molecular breeding to improve maize yield and stress adaptability.

Trichome birefringence-like proteins function as polysaccharide O-acetyltransferases that catalyze the O-acetylation of cell wall polysaccharides and play widespread roles in regulating plant growth and stress responses. However, no TBL genes have been functionally characterized in maize, and their biological properties remain largely unexplored. Through bioinformatic analysis, we identified 74 maize TBL genes (designated ZmTBL1–ZmTBL74) among the maize genome. Comprehensive analyses of their phylogenetic relationships, basic physicochemical and sequence characteristics, putative upstream regulatory transcription factors and expression patterns were conducted. Expression profiling and qPCR analyses revealed that ZmTBLs respond widely to abiotic stresses, including heat and cold. Association analyses demonstrated that sequence variations in ZmTBL57 and ZmTBL69 correlate with maize agronomic traits. These findings elucidate the molecular characteristics and evolutionary history of maize TBL genes and underscore their roles in abiotic stress responses. In summary, the foundation established by this work will facilitate further functional characterization of TBL genes in maize.