Article
The incomplete dominance of gene expression controlled by Trans-eQTL hotspots contributes to heterosis in maize.
Nature communications - 7 May 2026
Xu Gen, Yang Xuerong, Zhang Mingyue, Kang Congbin, Tian Ziang, Qi Yunhui, Luo Meijie, Liu Peng, Ross-Ibarra Jeffrey, Yang Jinliang, Liu Hongjun
Abstract excerpt
Heterosis, or hybrid vigor, is a key genetic and agricultural phenomenon driven by non-additive effects, though its mechanisms remain debated. To examine these effects at the transcriptomic level, we integrate population-scale transcriptomic and phenotypic data in maize. We find that ∼30% of expressed seedling genes in many hybrids deviate from mid-parent values, consistent with incomplete dominance. While...
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