Abstract
The developmental process of inflorescence and gametophytes is vital for sexual reproduction in rice. Multiple genes and conserved miRNAs have been characterized to regulate the process. The changes of miRNAs expression during the early development of rice inflorescence remain unknown. In this study, the analysis of miRNAs profiles in the early stage of rice inflorescence development identified 671 miRNAs, including 67 known and 44 novel differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). Six distinct clusters of miRNAs expression patterns were detected, and Cluster 5 comprised 110 DEMs, including unconserved, rice-specific osa-miR5506. Overexpression of osa-miR5506 caused pleiotropic abnormalities, including over- or under-developed palea, various numbers of floral organs and spikelet indeterminacy. In addition, the defects of ovaries development were frequently characterized by multiple megasporocytes, ovule-free ovary, megasporocyte degenerated and embryo sac degenerated in the transgenic lines. osa-miR5506 targeted REM transcription factor LOC_Os03g11370. Summarily, these results demonstrated that rice-specific osa-miR5506 plays an essential role in the regulation of floral organ number, spikelet determinacy and female gametophyte development in rice.
Highlights
Rice is a staple food for a major population in the world
To meet the sustainable increase of population [1], breeding high-yield rice varieties becomes a goal of modern breeding projects due to the adverse production environment, including changing climate, diminishing water and decreasing land availability [2]
Among four different developmental stages of INF-1, INF-2, INF-3 and INF-4, 21–24nt miRNAs are the major population and the highest abundance of reads was found in 24nt miRNAs, followed by 23nt, 21nt and 22nt miRNAs (Figure 1A)
Summary
To meet the sustainable increase of population [1], breeding high-yield rice varieties becomes a goal of modern breeding projects due to the adverse production environment, including changing climate, diminishing water and decreasing land availability [2]. Rice yield is a complicated agronomic trait, which is influenced by the number of fertile tillers and the architecture and development of inflorescence [3]. A spikelet is the structural unit of inflorescence and comprises two rudimentary glumes, two empty glumes ( called sterile florets) and one fertile floret. It was demonstrated that genetic and epigenetic factors act together to regulate the inflorescence morphology specification.
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