State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
Plant Physiol. 2021 Mar 15;185(2):457-468. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiaa036.
Root system architecture (RSA) is a key factor in the efficiency of nutrient capture and water uptake in plants. Understanding the genetic control of RSA will be useful in minimizing fertilizer and water usage in agricultural cropping systems. Using a hydroponic screen and a gel-based imaging system, we identified a rice (Oryza sativa) gene, VAP-RELATED SUPPRESSOR OF TOO MANY MOUTHS1 (OsVST1), which plays a key role in controlling RSA. This gene encodes a homolog of the VAP-RELATED SUPPRESSORS OF TOO MANY MOUTHS (VST) proteins in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), which promote signaling in stomata by mediating plasma membrane-endoplasmic reticulum contacts. OsVST1 mutants have shorter primary roots, decreased root meristem size, and a more compact RSA. We show that the Arabidopsis VST triple mutants have similar phenotypes, with reduced primary root growth and smaller root meristems. Expression of OsVST1 largely complements the short root length and reduced plant height in the Arabidopsis triple mutant, supporting conservation of function between rice and Arabidopsis VST proteins. In a field trial, mutations in OsVST1 did not adversely affect grain yield, suggesting that modulation of this gene could be used as a way to optimize RSA without an inherent yield penalty.
根系结构（RSA）是植物养分吸收和水分摄取效率的关键因素。了解 RSA 的遗传控制对于在农业种植系统中最小化肥料和水的使用将是有用的。我们使用水培筛和基于凝胶的成像系统，鉴定了一个水稻（Oryza sativa）基因，VAP-RELATED SUPPRESSOR OF TOO MANY MOUTHS1（OsVST1），它在控制 RSA 中起着关键作用。该基因编码拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）VAP-RELATED SUPPRESSORS OF TOO MANY MOUTHS（VST）蛋白的同源物，通过介导质膜-内质网接触促进气孔信号转导。OsVST1 突变体的主根较短，根分生组织较小，RSA 更紧凑。我们表明，拟南芥 VST 三重突变体具有相似的表型，表现为主根生长减少和根分生组织较小。OsVST1 的表达在很大程度上补充了拟南芥三重突变体中短根长和矮化植株的表型，支持水稻和拟南芥 VST 蛋白之间功能的保守性。在田间试验中，OsVST1 的突变并没有对籽粒产量产生不利影响，这表明对该基因的调控可以作为一种优化 RSA 的方法，而不会产生固有产量损失。
