Silencing of an Ubiquitin Ligase Increases Grain Width and Weight in Rice.

Many quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been identified by molecular genetic studies which control grain size by regulating grain width, length, and/or thickness. () is one such QTL that codes for a RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase and increases grain size by regulating grain width through ubiquitin-mediated degradation of unknown substrates. A natural variation (single-nucleotide polymorphism at the 346 position) in the functional domain-coding region of in rice genotypes has been shown to cause an increase in grain width/weight in rice. However, this variation is absent in rice genotypes. In this study, we report that reduced expression of can alter grain size, even though natural sequence variation is not responsible for increased grain size in rice genotypes. shows high expression in seed development stages and the protein localizes to the nucleus and cytoplasm. Downregulation of by RNAi technology results in wider and heavier grains. Microscopic observation of grain morphology suggests that OsGW2 determines grain size by influencing both cell expansion and cell proliferation in spikelet hull. Using transcriptome analysis, upregulated genes related to grain size regulation have been identified among 1,426 differentially expressed genes in an _RNAi transgenic line. These results reveal that is a negative regulator of grain size in rice and affects both cell number and cell size in spikelet hull.