A Comprehensive Atlas of Endogenous Peptides in Maize

This study provides a detailed atlas of 6,100 endogenous peptides in maize, derived from 3,692 unique genes across 13 tissues, emphasizing their significant role in plant growth and development. It highlights the dynamic and tissue-specific expression patterns of peptides, with 90.95% from in-frame coding sequences and 9.05% from out-of-frame sequences. The research uncovers a concentration of peptides near telomeric regions and identifies distinct coexpression modules, suggesting unique biological functions for peptides separate from their source proteins. This atlas serves as a valuable resource for future studies on the regulatory roles of peptides in maize and other plants.