CRISPR–Cas9-mediated promoter editing of FERONIA-Like receptor 13 increases plant growth and disease resistance in rice
Yanan Guo,
Yinyao Qi,
Kai Liu,
Xiao Luo,
Weiyu Xiao,
Xiaonan Qiang,
Junjie Xing,
Feng Yu,
Zhenghong Zhao,
Long Wang,
Lifeng Wang
Affiliations
Yanan Guo
Longping Branch, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410125, Hunan, China; College of Biology, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China; Hunan Rice Research Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Science, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China; State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China
Yinyao Qi
College of Biology, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
Kai Liu
College of Biology, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
Xiao Luo
State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China
Weiyu Xiao
College of Biology, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
Xiaonan Qiang
College of Biology, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China; Hunan Rice Research Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Science, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China
Junjie Xing
State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China
Feng Yu
College of Biology, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
Zhenghong Zhao
Hunan Rice Research Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Science, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China; State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China; Huangpu Research Institute of Longping Agricultural Science and Technology, Guangzhou 510700, Guangdong, China; Corresponding authors.
Long Wang
Longping Branch, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410125, Hunan, China; College of Biology, Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Developmental Regulation, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China; Corresponding authors.
Lifeng Wang
Longping Branch, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410125, Hunan, China; Hunan Rice Research Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Science, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China; State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410015, Hunan, China; Huangpu Research Institute of Longping Agricultural Science and Technology, Guangzhou 510700, Guangdong, China; Corresponding authors.
Receptor kinases play a pivotal role in detecting environmental signals, and consequently, gene pleiotropy is frequently observed within this family. However, the trade-off in trait expression resulting from gene pleiotropy poses a constraint on the utilization of such genes in agricultural breeding. In this study, we identified the receptor kinase gene FERONIA-Like Receptor 13 (FLR13) as a pleiotropic gene influencing plant height, tillering, grain yield, and disease resistance. Using promoter editing, we generated novel alleles (FLR13T5T6-1, FLR13T5T6-2) that confer resistance to rice blast and increase per-plant yield. The knockout of the T5T6 segment alleviates the inhibitory effects of two transcription factors, OsGBP1 and OsWRKY53, on FLR13 expression. In summary, our study presents a promising avenue for enhancing the pivotal attributes of receptor-like kinases through a promoter-editing strategy.
