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Breeding efforts have focused intensively on improving grain yield and quality in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Content and composition of grain starch and seed storage protein (SSP) are two critical factors that determine grain yield and quality. Starch content is closely related to grain weight, while SSP content and composition directly affect the quality of flour. However, there is often a negative correlation between SSP content (quality) and starch content (grain yield).

Recently, the research group of Xiao Jun at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, identified a trimer complex, TaNF-Y, which can simultaneously regulate the biosynthesis of starch and SSP.

The research results were published online on September 18, 2024, in The Plant Cell with the title "NUCLEAR FACTOR-Y-POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX2 dynamically orchestrates starch and seed storage protein biosynthesis in wheat."

Previous studies have reported on the transcriptional regulation of wheat SSP-encoding genes and starch biosynthetic enzyme-encoding genes. However, little is known about how transcription factors regulate both SSP and starch accumulation and coordinate the balance between quality and yield.

TaNF-Y includes TaNF-YA3-D, TaNF-YB7-B, and TaNF-YC6-B. These trimer complexes directly or indirectly regulate the synthesis of SSP and starch by changing their own transcription patterns.

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