biostudies-literatureQi MNSFIowa Soybean AssociationUSDA NIFA Hatch projectU.S. Department of AgricultureISU Center for Metabolic BiologyIowa State UniversityISU Research FoundationNational Science Foundation252-263https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6330549biostudies-literatureUnknown17(1)Enhancing the nutritional quality and disease resistance of crops without sacrificing productivity is a key issue for developing varieties that are valuable to farmers and for simultaneously improving food security and sustainability. Expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana species-specific AtQQS (Qua-Quine Starch) orphan gene or its interactor, NF-YC4 (Nuclear Factor Y, subunit C4), has been shown to increase levels of leaf/seed protein without affecting the growth and yield of agronomic species. Here, we demonstrate that overexpression of AtQQS and NF-YC4 in Arabidopsis and soybean enhances resistance/reduces susceptibility to viruses, bacteria, fungi, aphids and soybean cyst nematodes. A series of Arabidopsis mutants in starch metabolism were used to explore the relationships between QQSPlant biotechnology journalQQS orphan gene and its interactor NF-YC4 reduce susceptibility to pathogens and pests.PMC63305493808MCB‐0951170MCB-0951170IOS 1546858Qi MHohenstein JDNettleton DWhitham SAO'Conner SZheng WLi LZhao XDu CKandel YTylka GLMacIntosh GCWang YWurtele ESfalseQQS orphan gene and its interactor NF-YC4 reduce susceptibility to pathogens and pests.Enhancing the nutritional quality and disease resistance of crops without sacrificing productivity is a key issue for developing varieties that are valuable to farmers and for simultaneously improving food security and sustainability. Expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana species-specific AtQQS (Qua-Quine Starch) orphan gene or its interactor, NF-YC4 (Nuclear Factor Y, subunit C4), has been shown to increase levels of leaf/seed protein without affecting the growth and yield of agronomic species. Here, we demonstrate that overexpression of AtQQS and NF-YC4 in Arabidopsis and soybean enhances resistance/reduces susceptibility to viruses, bacteria, fungi, aphids and soybean cyst nematodes. A series of Arabidopsis mutants in starch metabolism were used to explore the relationships between QQS2019-01-01T00:00:00Z2019 Jan2026-04-30T16:25:11.907Z2019-03-26T22:37:58ZS-EPMC63305492987851110.1111/pbi.12961