RICE CENTRORADIALIS 1, a TFL1-like Gene, Responses to Drought Stress and Regulates Rice Flowering Transition

Yan Wang,Yanfeng Ding,Ziyu Guo,Yuyang Lu,Chengqiang Ding

doi:10.1186/s12284-020-00430-3

Yan Wang, Yanfeng Ding + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12284-020-00430-3

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Journal: Rice	Publication Date: Sep 24, 2020
Citations: 26	License type: open-access

Affiliation: Nanjing Agricultural University, Jishou University

Abstract

BackgroundThe initiation of flowering transition in rice (Oryza sativa) is a complex process regulated by genes and environment. In particular, drought can interfere with flowering; therefore, many plants hasten this process to shorten their life cycle under water scarcity, and this is known as drought-escape response. However, rice has other strategies; for example, drought stress can delay flowering instead of accelerating it. RICE CENTRORADIALIS 1 (RCN1) is a TERMINAL FLOWER-like gene that influences rice flowering transition and spike differentiation. It interacts with 14–3-3 proteins and transcription factor OsFD1 to form a florigen repression complex that suppresses flowering transition in rice.ResultsIn this study, we explored the role of RCN1 in the molecular pathway of drought-regulated flowering transition. The rcn1 mutant plants displayed early heading under both normal water and drought stress conditions, and they were more insensitive to drought stress than the wild-type plants. Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling-mediated drought-induced RCN1 is involved in this process.ConclusionsThus, RCN1 plays an important role in the process of drought stress inhibiting flowering transition. It may worked by suppressing the protein function rather than transcription of HEADING DATE 3a.

Highlights

The initiation of flowering transition in rice (Oryza sativa) is a complex process regulated by genes and environment
Influence of Drought on the Heading Date Is Weaker in rcn1 Mutants than in wild type (WT) Plants To test if RICE CENTRORADIALIS 1 (RCN1) loss of function affects rice flowering time, we obtained two different insert mutations in the coding region of RCN1 using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein-9 (CRISPR-Cas9) technology (Figure S1), the frame-shift mutations caused premature termination of translation or amino acid substitutions
Rice plants were subject to severe drought stress, as the soil relative water capacity (SRWC) was maintained between 30%–50% (Figure S2)

Summary

Introduction

The initiation of flowering transition in rice (Oryza sativa) is a complex process regulated by genes and environment. Rice has other strategies; for example, drought stress can delay flowering instead of accelerating it. RICE CENTRORADIALIS 1 (RCN1) is a TERMINAL FLOWER-like gene that influences rice flowering transition and spike differentiation. It interacts with 14–3-3 proteins and transcription factor OsFD1 to form a florigen repression complex that suppresses flowering transition in rice. Drought is one of the most severe natural stresses affecting crops. The timing of floral transition is a key determinant of crop production and adaptability to complex environmental conditions.

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