Liu Yuntao, Yao Fang, Zou Jun, Guo Daokuan, Jiang Wanxia, Fan Jinjian, Li Ruichao, Yang Zhenbin, Ma Yurong, Deng Haodong, Huang Jiayu, Tan Lubin
Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding (MOE), Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Plant Genome. 2025 Jun;18(2):e70032. doi: 10.1002/tpg2.70032.
The development of ideal plant architecture is crucial for optimizing grain yield in crop breeding. The transition from prostrate growth habit in wild rice to erect growth habit in cultivated rice is one of the important events during rice domestication. Here, we identified a yield-related quantitative trait locus (QTL) cluster on the short arm of chromosome 7 using Teqing/W2014 (Oryza nivara) derived BCF population. The introgression line TIL81 containing this QTL cluster exhibited significantly larger tiller angle, increased tiller numbers, and prostrate growth habit compared to the recipient parent Teqing. Using a segregating F population derived from a cross between TIL81 and Teqing, this yield-related QTL cluster was mapped to a similar position as the known rice plant architecture domestication (RPAD) locus controlling rice plant architecture domestication. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome (where CRISPR is clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) editing of four zinc finger transcription factors (OnZnF1, OnZnF6, OnZnF8, and OnZnF9) within the RPAD locus demonstrated their collective involvement in regulating plant architecture and yield-related traits. Notably, the knockout lines harboring all four zinc finger gene mutations exhibited plant architecture traits and grain yield per plant comparable to the control Teqing. These findings demonstrated that RPAD locus in O. nivara functions in prostrate growth habit and provided new insights into the molecular mechanism of plant architecture during rice domestication.
理想株型的发育对于作物育种中优化谷物产量至关重要。从野生稻的匍匐生长习性到栽培稻的直立生长习性的转变是水稻驯化过程中的重要事件之一。在此，我们利用特青/W2014（尼瓦拉野生稻）衍生的BCF群体，在第7染色体短臂上鉴定出一个与产量相关的数量性状位点（QTL）簇。与受体亲本特青相比，含有该QTL簇的导入系TIL81表现出显著更大的分蘖角、增加的分蘖数和匍匐生长习性。利用TIL81与特青杂交产生的分离F群体，将这个与产量相关的QTL簇定位到与控制水稻株型驯化的已知水稻株型驯化（RPAD）位点相似的位置。对RPAD位点内的四个锌指转录因子（OnZnF1、OnZnF6、OnZnF8和OnZnF9）进行CRISPR/Cas9介导的基因组（其中CRISPR是成簇规律间隔短回文重复序列）编辑，证明它们共同参与调控株型和与产量相关的性状。值得注意的是，携带所有四个锌指基因突变的敲除系表现出与对照特青相当的株型性状和单株谷物产量。这些发现表明，尼瓦拉野生稻中的RPAD位点在匍匐生长习性中起作用，并为水稻驯化过程中株型的分子机制提供了新的见解。
