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WUSCHEL-D1 upregulation enhances grain number by inducing formation of multiovary-producing florets in wheat

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DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2510889122
AuthorSearch for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5715-640X; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3416-089X; Search for: ; Search for: 1ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7144-1274; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3311-3776; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2615-1897; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1732-2909; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4191-1068; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0426-2951; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9556-6706; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9728-5214; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5649-7413; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4510-9459; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9814-1770; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0790-5569; Search for: ; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5297-4067; Search for: ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7297-4048
Affiliation
  1. National Research Council Canada. Aquatic and Crop Resource Development
FunderSearch for: USDA | National Institute of Food and Agriculture; Search for: Australian Research Council. Department of Education and Training; Search for: Royal Society
FormatText, Article
Abstract
Innovative genetic improvements in food crops are needed to maintain global food security. Here, we report the map-based cloning of TaWUSCHEL-D1 ( WUS-D1 ) as the gene responsible for the multiovary phenotype in wheat, which produces three fertile ovaries and grains per floret. We generated a 14.5 Gbp chromosome-level assembly of multiovary wheat line “MOV” that shows unique structural variation in the Mov-1 physical region, resulting in widespread gene upregulation. High-resolution genetic mapping refined the locus to a 135 kbp region that contains two genes. We used nine independent deletion mutants, eight TILLING mutants, and genetic complementation of these genotypes to show that a WUSCHEL ortholog, WUS-D1 , is the causal gene of the Mov-1 locus. Expression studies showed that WUS-D1 is highly expressed during early inflorescence development in MOV, whereas the gene is inactive in wild-type wheat. The higher WUS-D1 expression is associated with the formation of larger meristems and floret primordia that are competent to produce multiple ovaries. These insights provide a foundation to manipulate floral organ numbers to enhance breeding capabilities of bread wheat.
Date published
PublisherNational Academy of Sciences
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  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 122, no. 42, e2510889122 (14 October 2025).
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LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
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Record identifier60c15abe-4576-455b-8e68-d79b15ff645a
Record created2026-05-05
Record modified2026-06-24

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