The MYB transcription factor MYB48 negatively regulates the resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae by directly enhancing the transcription of HSP71.1 in rice.

MYB transcription factors (TFs) play a critical role in plant immunity; however, their involvement in chaperone-mediated defense mechanisms remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that MYB48 negatively regulates rice blast resistance by directly activating the heat shock protein gene HSP71.1. CRISPR/Cas9-generated MYB48 knockout lines exhibited enhanced resistance, with reduced lesion numbers and sizes, while overexpression lines displayed increased susceptibility. Nuclear-localized MYB48 directly binds to the HSP71.1 promoter to activate its transcription. Furthermore, knockout of HSP71.1 enhanced blast resistance. Notably, MYB48 knockout did not compromise agronomic traits, highlighting its potential for breeding applications. This study uncovers a novel MYB48-HSP71.1 regulatory module, linking MYB TFs to chaperone-mediated immunity, and provides dual targets for engineering blast-resistant rice.