Chinese Scientists Recover Lost Wild Corn Gene for Protein

SHANGHAI — A Chinese research team has successfully cloned a second high-protein gene from wild corn, a breakthrough that could dramatically reduce the country’s reliance on imported soybeans for animal feed. The discovery, published in the journal Nature on June 3, 2026, offers a path toward more self-sufficient and sustainable livestock production.

The gene, named THP3-T, was recovered from teosinte — the wild ancestor of modern corn — which can contain up to 30% protein. Over roughly 9,000 years of domestication, most high-protein genes were lost as breeders prioritized yield and other traits. Today’s hybrid corn varieties average just 8% protein, forcing China to supplement livestock feed with imported soybean meal.

The Science Behind the Breakthrough

Led by researcher Wu Yongrui, deputy director of the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the team identified THP3-T as a gene encoding glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase 1 (GOT1) — a core enzyme in the nitrogen metabolism pathway. The gene enhances the plant’s ability to assimilate nitrogen, boosting protein content without sacrificing yield.

Population genetics analysis reveals that THP3-T appears in only 2.1% of modern corn varieties, making it exceptionally rare. When combined with the previously discovered THP9-T gene (identified by the same team in 2022), the two produce a powerful synergistic effect, raising kernel protein content in inbred lines from 10% to 15% — far exceeding what either gene could achieve alone.

“The research not only discovered the ‘key puzzle piece’ for high protein maize breeding but also offers new possibilities for quality improvement and precise genetic enhancement of modern maize,” Wu said at a press conference in Shanghai on June 2.

Real-World Application: From Lab to Field

The team has already moved beyond the laboratory. Using marker-assisted breeding — a non-transgenic approach that accelerates natural selection — they have precisely improved over 80 parental lines of China’s major corn cultivars, with improved lines reaching protein content above 14%.

In a particularly significant achievement, the team introduced both high-protein genes into Zhengdan 958, China’s most widely planted corn hybrid. The result: kernel protein content rose from 8.5% to 12–13%, and whole-plant protein increased from 7% to over 9%, all while maintaining stable yields.

Food Security Implications

The economic and strategic implications are substantial. China produces approximately 300 million tonnes of corn annually. According to Wu’s calculations, if the protein content of feed corn nationwide were raised by four percentage points to over 12%, the added protein would be equivalent to more than 30 million tonnes of imported soybeans — roughly 30% of China’s current annual soybean imports, which exceeded 100 million tonnes in 2025.

Each single percentage point increase in corn protein content could replace approximately 8 million tonnes of imported soybeans, Wu noted. At current soybean prices of roughly $400–500 per tonne, this represents potential import savings of billions of dollars annually.

“This achievement carries significant socioeconomic value,” said Han Bin, director of CEMPS and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “It could dramatically lower feed costs, improve the economic returns of the livestock industry, and, through widespread adoption, significantly boost farmers’ incomes.”

Strategic Context: China’s Soybean Dependency

China is the world’s largest soybean importer, with an import dependency rate exceeding 80%. This heavy reliance — primarily for protein-rich animal feed — represents a structural vulnerability that trade tensions and global supply disruptions have repeatedly exposed. The high-protein corn breakthrough offers a “land-neutral” solution: it requires no additional arable land, only the adoption of improved seed varieties.

The research aligns with China’s broader “Seed Industry Revitalization” plan, a national initiative to leverage biotechnology for food security and agricultural self-sufficiency.

Commercial Partnerships and Path Forward

The research team has already signed cooperation agreements with major livestock enterprises including New Hope Group and Muyuan Foods to promote industrial application. Commercial deployment will require several growing seasons for seed multiplication, regulatory approvals, and farmer adoption, but the foundation is firmly in place.

What to Watch

While the results are promising, key questions remain: How will the high-protein varieties perform across China’s diverse agro-ecological zones? Will farmers adopt them without premium pricing incentives? And can the yield-protein balance hold up at scale? The coming growing seasons will provide answers, but for now, China’s scientists have demonstrated that the genetic keys to a more secure food future were hiding in plain sight — in the wild ancestors of the crops we already grow.