A rice exocyst subunit gene SEC3A is required for anther dehiscence
Ranran Tu,
Hong Wang,
Zhihao Sun,
Qinwen Zou,
Jiajun Wu,
Duo Wu,
Nan Wang,
Guanghua He
Affiliations
Ranran Tu
Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Hong Wang
Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Zhihao Sun
Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Qinwen Zou
Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Jiajun Wu
Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Duo Wu
Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Nan Wang
Corresponding authors.; Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Guanghua He
Corresponding authors.; Rice Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Application and Safety Control of Genetically Modified Crops, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Anther dehiscence controls optimal interaction between pollen and stigma, thereby determining the successful sexual reproduction. The regulators or mechanisms of this process remain elusive. Here, two CRISPR/Cas9 mutants of a rice exocyst subunit gene SEC3A, sec3a-1 and sec3a-2, showed anther indehiscence at anthesis and male sterility at maturity. Pollen viability and germination in the mutants were partly defective, whereas their female gametes undergone a normal development. Hybrid or self-pollinated seeds could be produced by artificial pollination, suggesting potential use of a weak sec3a mutant as a female line during hybrid breeding. SEC3A is widely expressed in various tissues, including anther walls. Further results showed an excessive IAA accumulation and no endothecium lignification in sec3a-1/2 anthers. Our findings suggest that SEC3A appears to regulate anther dehiscence by modulating auxin signaling, providing insights into regulation of anther dehiscence and function of exocyst in plants.