rss-bridge 2026-03-01T01:46:19.818003211+00:00

Rewiring an E3 ligase enhances cold resilience and phosphate use in maize

Article

Published: 25 February 2026

Rewiring an E3 ligase enhances cold resilience and phosphate use in maize

Huan Liao1,
Xiaoyun Zhao1,
Keyu Ren1,
Li Guo2,
Zhuoyang Li1,
Zhicheng Liu1,
Xiaoyan Zhang1,
Tianhang Su1,
Diyi Fu1,
Zhaoyang Zhang1,
Junhong Zhuang3,
Xiaohong Yang

orcid.org/0000-0001-6438-948X2,

Feng Tian

orcid.org/0000-0003-3552-45362,

Zhizhong Gong

orcid.org/0000-0001-6551-60141,4,

Wen Song

orcid.org/0000-0002-9498-24091,

Zhen Li1,
Yiting Shi

orcid.org/0000-0002-3348-20721 &

…
Shuhua Yang

orcid.org/0000-0003-1229-71661

Nature

(2026)Cite this article

4068 Accesses

60 Altmetric

Metrics

Subjects

Plant physiology
Plant stress responses

Abstract

Cold stress restricts plant growth and inorganic phosphate (Pi) uptake, reducing yield and increasing fertilizer demand1,2,3. Enhancing both cold tolerance and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) is crucial for sustainable crop productivity. Here we identify the SPX-domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase NITROGEN LIMITATION ADAPTATION (NLA) as a central regulator that links cold signalling to Pi homeostasis in maize (Zea mays L.). Under cold conditions, NLA promotes the degradation of the transcriptional repressor JAZ11, activating jasmonate signalling to enhance cold tolerance; however, NLA also simultaneously represses Pi uptake, through inositol polyphosphate (InsP)-dependent ubiquitination of the Pi transporter PT4. A ubiquitinome-informed genome-wide association study identified a natural PT4(K267A) (lysine-to-alanine substitution) variant that attenuates NLA-mediated degradation and increases Pi uptake in cold conditions. To overcome this nutrient–stress trade-off, we combined artificial-intelligence-guided structural modelling and ligand docking with genome editing to generate the nlaΔ12 allele, which encodes an NLA variant in which binding to InsP is impaired but JAZ11 targeting is retained. The Δ12 modification selectively redirects the activity of NLA towards jasmonate signalling, resulting in improved cold resilience, higher PUE and increased yield in multi-site field trials. These findings reveal a tunable SPX regulatory module that integrates environmental and nutrient signals, and provide a molecular framework for engineering climate-resilient, nutrient-efficient crops.

Access through your institution

Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

27,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Receive 51 print issues and online access

199,00 € per year

only 3,90 € per issue

Buy this article

Purchase on SpringerLink
Instant access to the full article PDF.

39,95 €

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: NLA positively regulates maize chilling tolerance.

Fig. 2: NLA interacts with and ubiquitinates JAZ11 to promote its degradation.

Fig. 3: GWAS and ubiquitination analyses identify the NLA–PT4 module that controls Pi uptake under cold stress.

Fig. 4: NLAΔ12 reduces InsP binding and uncouples cold tolerance from Pi repression.

Fig. 5: nlaΔ12 enhances maize cold tolerance, PUE and grain yield across environments.**

Rewiring an E3 ligase enhances cold resilience and phosphate use in maize