article published yes Pengfang Yang author Yangyang Liu author Qi Dong author Yuting Miao author Jianlong Zhang author Shujuan Xu author 9724dd9d-f591-11ee-bd51-e97ed0652286 Hong Zhao author Yuda Niu author Xueyong Zhang author Yunyuan Xu author Zifeng Guo author Lijing Xing author Kang Chong author XiFe department Vernalization-regulated flowering is vital for wheat yield and geographical distribution, and the diversity of flowering time genes is essential for the breeding of climate-resilient varieties. Sugars have long been recognized in regulating flowering; however, the intrinsic connection between carbohydrate metabolism and vernalization response remains largely unexplored. Here, we identify a fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) encoding gene, HtL1/FBA10, as a modulator of heading time variation based on a genome-wide association study utilizing wheat core germplasm collections. Evolutionary analysis shows a decrease in the proportion of haplotype-2 of HtL1, which is linked to delayed flowering, in Chinese and American wheat varieties compared to landraces. Vernalization reduces HtL1/FBA10 phosphorylation levels and increases its O-GlcNAcylation, which in turn enhances its enzymatic activity and facilitates VERNALIZATION 1 (VRN1) transcription by regulating histone acetylation at the VRN1 locus. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into the interplay between glucose metabolism and the epigenetic regulation of vernalization in winter wheat. https://research-explorer.ista.ac.at/download/21158/21223/2026_NatureComm_Yang.pdf application/pdfno Springer Nature2026 eng 2041-1723 4145572310.1038/s41467-025-67734-0 17 Yang, Pengfang, et al. “O-GlcNAc and Phosphorylation Modifications on HtL1/FBA10 Regulate Wheat Vernalization for Flowering.” <i>Nature Communications</i>, vol. 17, 999, Springer Nature, 2026, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0">10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0</a>. P. Yang, Y. Liu, Q. Dong, Y. Miao, J. Zhang, S. Xu, H. Zhao, Y. Niu, X. Zhang, Y. Xu, Z. Guo, L. Xing, K. Chong, Nature Communications 17 (2026). Yang P, Liu Y, Dong Q, et al. O-GlcNAc and phosphorylation modifications on HtL1/FBA10 regulate wheat vernalization for flowering. <i>Nature Communications</i>. 2026;17. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0">10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0</a> P. Yang <i>et al.</i>, “O-GlcNAc and phosphorylation modifications on HtL1/FBA10 regulate wheat vernalization for flowering,” <i>Nature Communications</i>, vol. 17. Springer Nature, 2026. Yang, Pengfang, Yangyang Liu, Qi Dong, Yuting Miao, Jianlong Zhang, Shujuan Xu, Hong Zhao, et al. “O-GlcNAc and Phosphorylation Modifications on HtL1/FBA10 Regulate Wheat Vernalization for Flowering.” <i>Nature Communications</i>. Springer Nature, 2026. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0</a>. Yang, P., Liu, Y., Dong, Q., Miao, Y., Zhang, J., Xu, S., … Chong, K. (2026). O-GlcNAc and phosphorylation modifications on HtL1/FBA10 regulate wheat vernalization for flowering. <i>Nature Communications</i>. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67734-0</a> Yang P, Liu Y, Dong Q, Miao Y, Zhang J, Xu S, Zhao H, Niu Y, Zhang X, Xu Y, Guo Z, Xing L, Chong K. 2026. O-GlcNAc and phosphorylation modifications on HtL1/FBA10 regulate wheat vernalization for flowering. Nature Communications. 17, 999. 211582026-02-08T23:02:48Z2026-02-12T14:34:24Z