Journal Article

The osa-miR164 target OsCUC1 functions redundantly with OsCUC3 in controlling rice meristem/organ boundary specification

Li, Xizhi, Li, Min, Jin, Jian, Wang, Jun, Bao, Jinlin, Zhou, Beibei

2021

Overview

• The specification of the meristem/organ boundary is critical for plant development. Here, we investigate two previously uncharacterized NAC transcription factors: the first, OsCUC1, which is negatively regulated by osa-miR164c, dimerizes with the second, OsCUC3, and functions partially redundantly in meristem/organ boundary specification in rice (Oryza sativa). • We produced knockout lines for rice OsCUC1 (the homolog of Arabidopsis CUC1 and CUC2) and OsCUC3 (the homolog of Arabidopsis CUC3), as well as an overexpression line for osa-miR164c, to study the molecular mechanism of boundary specification in rice. • A single mutation in either OsCUC1 or OsCUC3 leads to defects in the establishment of the meristem/organ boundary, resulting in reduced stamen numbers and the fusion of leaves and filaments, and the defects are greatly enhanced in the double mutant. Transgenic plants overexpressing osa-miR164c showed a phenotype similar to that of the OsCUC1 knockout line. In addition, knockout of OsCUC1 leads to multiple defects, including dwarf plant architecture, male sterility and twisted-rolling leaves. Further study indicated that OsCUC1 physically interacts with leaf-rolling related protein CURLED LEAF AND DWARF 1 (CLD1) and stabilizes it in the nucleus to control leaf morphology. • This work demonstrated that the interplay of osa-miR164c, OsCUC1 and OsCUC3 controls boundary specification in rice.

• Publisher: Wiley,Wiley Subscription Services, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subject: Arabidopsis / Arabidopsis - genetics / Arabidopsis - metabolism / Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics / Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism / boundary specification / CLD1 / CUP‐SHAPED COTYLEDON genes / Defects / degradation / Filaments / Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Homology / leaf morphology / Leaves / Male sterility / Meristem - genetics / Meristem - metabolism / Meristems / MicroRNAs - genetics / miR164 / Morphology / mutants / Mutation / Mutation - genetics / Oryza - genetics / Oryza - metabolism / Oryza sativa / partially redundant / Phenotype / Phenotypes / plant architecture / plant development / Plant Proteins - genetics / Plant Proteins - metabolism / Rice / Rolling (ship motion) / Specifications / Sterility / Transcription / Transcription factors / Transgenic plants / twisted‐rolling leaves