GENOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ZEA MAYS CHITINASE GENE FAMILY
Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops globally, whose yield and quality are threatened by various fungal pathogens such as Fusarium verticillioides, Aspergillus flavus, and Exserohilum turcicum. Chitinases, which belong to the glycosyl hydrolase (GH) enzyme family, specifically GH18, GH19, and GH20, play important roles in the plant's immune response against these fungal pathogens by breaking down the β-1,4-glycosidic bonds present within their cell walls' chitin. By performing Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) combined with the identification of the gene families present within the genome, researchers can map the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) responsible for the disease resistance of these plants to specific chitinase loci. This study aims to provide a synthesis of the genomic analysis of the maize chitinase (ZmChi) genes, including their structural characteristics, their phylogenetic relationships, their chromosomal locations, their expression patterns, and their associations with resistance to these fungal pathogens.