SUPER STARCHY1/ONAC025 participates in rice grain filling.

NAC transcription factors (TFs) are known for their role in development and stress. This article attempts to functionally validate the role of rice / () during seed development. The gene is seed-specific and its promoter directs reporter expression in the developing endosperm and embryo in rice transgenic plants. Furthermore, rice transgenic plants ectopically expressing / have a plantlet lethal phenotype with hampered vegetative growth, but increased tillers and an altered shoot apical meristem structure. The vegetative cells of these plantlets are filled with distinct starch granules. RNAseq analysis of two independent plantlets reveals the differential expression of reproductive and photosynthetic genes. A comparison with seed development transcriptome indicates differential regulation of many seed-related genes by SS1/ ONAC025. Genes involved in starch biosynthesis, especially amylopectin and those encoding seed storage proteins, and regulating seed size are also differentially expressed. In conjunction, / shows highest expression in rice. As a TF, SS1/ ONAC025 is a transcriptional repressor localized to endoplasmic reticulum and nucleus. The article shows that / is a seed-specific gene promoting grain filling in rice, and negatively affecting vegetative growth.