{"title":"Auxin-responsive OsMADS60 negatively mediates rice tillering and grain yield by modulating OsPIN5b expression","authors":"Wenhao Wu, Hongyu Li, Qian Zhou, Bowen Wu, Weiting Huang, Zhongming Fang","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70107","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n <p>Rice tillering determines grain yield, yet the molecular regulatory network is still limited. In this study, we demonstrated that the transcription factor <i>OsMADS60</i> promotes the expression of the auxin transporter <i>OsPIN5b</i> to affect auxin distribution and inhibit rice tillering and grain yield. Natural variation was observed in the promoter region of <i>OsMADS60</i>, with its expression level negatively correlated with tiller number and inducible by auxin. Overexpression of <i>OsMADS60</i> resulted in reduced tillers and grain yield, whereas CRISPR-mediated knockouts of <i>OsMADS60</i> led to increased tillering and yield. <i>OsMADS60</i> was found to directly bind the CArG motif [CATTTAC] in the <i>OsPIN5b</i> promoter, thereby upregulating its expression. Moreover, we found that auxin content in various tissues of <i>OsMADS60</i> and <i>OsPIN5b</i> overexpression lines increased relative to the wild-type ZH11, whereas the auxin levels in mutant lines showed the opposite trend. Genetic analysis further confirmed that <i>OsPIN5b</i> acted downstream of <i>OsMADS60</i>, coregulating the expression of genes involved in hormone pathways. Our findings reveal that <i>OsMADS60</i> modulates auxin distribution by promoting <i>OsPIN5b</i> expression, thereby influencing rice tillering. This regulatory mechanism holds significant potential for the genetic improvement of rice architecture and grain yield.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"121 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"The Plant Journal","FirstCategoryId":"2","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tpj.70107","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PLANT SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Rice tillering determines grain yield, yet the molecular regulatory network is still limited. In this study, we demonstrated that the transcription factor OsMADS60 promotes the expression of the auxin transporter OsPIN5b to affect auxin distribution and inhibit rice tillering and grain yield. Natural variation was observed in the promoter region of OsMADS60, with its expression level negatively correlated with tiller number and inducible by auxin. Overexpression of OsMADS60 resulted in reduced tillers and grain yield, whereas CRISPR-mediated knockouts of OsMADS60 led to increased tillering and yield. OsMADS60 was found to directly bind the CArG motif [CATTTAC] in the OsPIN5b promoter, thereby upregulating its expression. Moreover, we found that auxin content in various tissues of OsMADS60 and OsPIN5b overexpression lines increased relative to the wild-type ZH11, whereas the auxin levels in mutant lines showed the opposite trend. Genetic analysis further confirmed that OsPIN5b acted downstream of OsMADS60, coregulating the expression of genes involved in hormone pathways. Our findings reveal that OsMADS60 modulates auxin distribution by promoting OsPIN5b expression, thereby influencing rice tillering. This regulatory mechanism holds significant potential for the genetic improvement of rice architecture and grain yield.
期刊介绍:
Publishing the best original research papers in all key areas of modern plant biology from the world"s leading laboratories, The Plant Journal provides a dynamic forum for this ever growing international research community.
Plant science research is now at the forefront of research in the biological sciences, with breakthroughs in our understanding of fundamental processes in plants matching those in other organisms. The impact of molecular genetics and the availability of model and crop species can be seen in all aspects of plant biology. For publication in The Plant Journal the research must provide a highly significant new contribution to our understanding of plants and be of general interest to the plant science community.