Zhao Jinhui, Xin Yi, Cui Weiwei, Li Pengxi, Su Jia, Zhao Lina, Wang Quanxiu
College of Life Sciences, Institute for Conservation and Utilization of Agro-Bioresources in Dabie Mountain, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China.
Planta. 2025 Jun 10;262(1):21. doi: 10.1007/s00425-025-04734-w.
Mutation of OsANK3 increases grain length, grain weight, and chalkiness. OsANK3 influences grain size and quality by regulating genes involved in the cell cycle and starch metabolism. Grain size and endosperm starch content are key determinants of rice yield and quality. In this study, we investigated the function of OsANK3, a gene encoding ankyrin repeats, in regulating grain development traits. This gene was initially identified through mass spectrometry analysis as a potential upstream regulator of rice chalkiness in our previous screening. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated OsANK3 knockout mutants (cr-osank3-2, cr-osank3-6, and cr-osank3-7) and found that OsANK3 is predominantly expressed in stems and leaves, with subcellular localization in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane. Disruption of OsANK3 increased plant height, grain length, grain weight, and chalkiness while reducing total starch content, amylose content (AC), and gel consistency (GC). Cytological analysis revealed that the elongated grains in cr-osank3 mutants resulted from enhanced cell proliferation and elongation in the outer lemma. qRT-PCR data demonstrated that OsANK3 regulates cell cycle-related genes, thereby influencing cell division and expansion. In addition, starch biosynthesis genes (OsGBSSI, OsAGPL1) were down-regulated in mutants, whereas starch hydrolase genes (OsAmy1 A, OsAmy3B) were up-regulated. Our findings demonstrate that OsANK3 knockout enhances grain size but compromises grain quality by altering cell dynamics and starch metabolism. This study elucidates the molecular role of OsANK3 in grain development and provides a valuable target for rice breeding programs.
OsANK3基因的突变增加了粒长、粒重和垩白度。OsANK3通过调控参与细胞周期和淀粉代谢的基因来影响籽粒大小和品质。籽粒大小和胚乳淀粉含量是水稻产量和品质的关键决定因素。在本研究中,我们调查了编码锚蛋白重复序列的基因OsANK3在调控籽粒发育性状中的功能。该基因最初是在我们之前的筛选中通过质谱分析被鉴定为水稻垩白潜在的上游调控因子。利用CRISPR/Cas9技术,我们构建了OsANK3基因敲除突变体(cr-osank3-2、cr-osank3-6和cr-osank3-7),发现OsANK3主要在茎和叶中表达,亚细胞定位在细胞质和质膜中。OsANK3的缺失增加了株高、粒长、粒重和垩白度,同时降低了总淀粉含量、直链淀粉含量(AC)和胶稠度(GC)。细胞学分析表明,cr-osank3突变体中籽粒变长源于外稃中细胞增殖和伸长的增强。qRT-PCR数据表明,OsANK3调控细胞周期相关基因,从而影响细胞分裂和扩展。此外,淀粉生物合成基因(OsGBSSI、OsAGPL1)在突变体中下调,而淀粉水解酶基因(OsAmy1 A、OsAmy3B)上调。我们的研究结果表明,OsANK3基因敲除通过改变细胞动态和淀粉代谢增强了籽粒大小,但降低了籽粒品质。本研究阐明了OsANK3在籽粒发育中的分子作用,并为水稻育种计划提供了一个有价值的靶点。
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