Identification and Expression Analysis of the eIF4E1 Gene Family in Maize

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for maize growth, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) remains below 40%, causing considerable resource waste and environmental pollution. Although previous studies have primarily focused on transcriptional regulation and nitrogen transporters, the contribution of translational control mechanisms to nitrogen responses remains unknown. In this study, the eIF4E1 gene family was systematically identified in maize, and its expression patterns under nitrogen stress were investigated. Bioinformatic analysis revealed six ZmeIF4E1 genes, and qRT-PCR assays demonstrated their constitutive expression across diverse tissues, together with member-specific responses to both low (0.2 mM KNO ₃ ) and high (10 mM KNO ₃ ) nitrogen treatments. ZmeIF4E1.1.1 was specifically induced in roots under low nitrogen, whereas ZmeIF4E1.1.2 exhibited strong upregulation in leaves. These findings highlight the potential involvement of eIF4E1-mediated translational regulation in maize nitrogen adaptation and identify promising candidate targets for improving NUE through molecular breeding.