Genome-Wide Characterization of the Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Gene Superfamily in Maize and Its Potential Role in Anther Development

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important grain crop worldwide and is also a crucial plant for basic research on biological agriculture. Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) oxidizes endogenous or exogenous aldehydes into carboxylic acids to reduce the toxicity of aldehydes and respond to stress. Here, a total of 35 members of the ALDH gene were reidentified and renamed in the maize genome. These genes were distributed on 10 chromosomes with uneven distribution and divided into 9 ALDH families. The gene structure and protein domain were found to be mostly conserved in separate classes. The analysis of promoter cis-elements showed that ZmALDHs are involved in different biological processes of plant development. Further, the 15 ZmALDH genes with high expression levels in maize anthers were identified, implying their potential roles in male fertility. Our research provides potential value for discovering male sterility genes that can contribute to maize hybrid seed production.