Shao Shuai, Wu Yuxin, Zhang Lijie, Zhao Zhiyuan, Li Xianlong, Yang Mingchong, Zhou Haiyu, Wu Songguo, Wang Lingqiang
State Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agricultural Biological Resources, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Mar 14;26(6):2616. doi: 10.3390/ijms26062616.
Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are complex proteoglycans present in plant cell walls across the kingdom. They play crucial roles in biological functions throughout the plant life cycle. In this study, we identified 43 gene members of the AG peptide (an AGP subfamily) within the rice genome, detailing their structure, protein-conserved domains, and motif compositions for the first time. We also examined the expression patterns of these genes across 18 tissues and organs, especially the different parts of the flower (anthers, pollen, pistil, sperm cells, and egg cells). Interestingly, the expression of some AG peptides is mainly present in the pollen grain. Transcription data and GUS staining confirmed that OsAGP6P-a member of the AG peptide gene family-is expressed in the stamen during pollen development stages 11-14, which are critical for maturation as microspores form after meiosis of pollen mother cells. It became noticeable from stage 11, when exine formation occurred-specifically at stage 12, when the intine began to develop. The overexpression of this gene in rice decreased the seed-setting rate (from 91.5% to 30.5%) and plant height (by 21.9%) but increased the tillering number (by 34.1%). These results indicate that AGP6P contributes to the development and fertility of pollen, making it a valuable gene target for future genetic manipulation of plant sterility through gene overexpression or editing.
阿拉伯半乳聚糖蛋白（AGPs）是存在于整个植物界植物细胞壁中的复杂蛋白聚糖。它们在植物整个生命周期的生物学功能中发挥着关键作用。在本研究中，我们在水稻基因组中鉴定出43个AG肽（AGP的一个亚家族）基因成员，并首次详细阐述了它们的结构、蛋白质保守结构域和基序组成。我们还检测了这些基因在18个组织和器官中的表达模式，特别是花的不同部分（花药、花粉、雌蕊、精子细胞和卵细胞）。有趣的是，一些AG肽的表达主要存在于花粉粒中。转录数据和GUS染色证实，AG肽基因家族的成员OsAGP6P在花粉发育的第11至14阶段在雄蕊中表达，这对花粉母细胞减数分裂后形成小孢子的成熟过程至关重要。从第11阶段开始变得明显，此时发生外壁形成——特别是在第12阶段，此时内壁开始发育。该基因在水稻中的过表达降低了结实率（从91.5%降至30.5%）和株高（降低了21.9%），但增加了分蘖数（增加了34.1%）。这些结果表明，AGP6P有助于花粉的发育和育性，使其成为未来通过基因过表达或编辑对植物不育性进行遗传操作的有价值的基因靶点。
