The rice miR171b–SCL6-IIs module controls blast resistance, grain yield, and flowering

Yan Li; Ying Tong; Xiaorong He; Yong Zhu; Tingting Li; Xiaoyu Lin; Wei Mao; Zeeshan Ghulam Nabi Gishkori; Zhixue Zhao; Jiwei Zhang; Yanyan Huang; Mei Pu; Jing Fan; Jing Wang; Wenming Wang

Crop Journal (Feb 2022)

The rice miR171b–SCL6-IIs module controls blast resistance, grain yield, and flowering

Yan Li,
Ying Tong,
Xiaorong He,
Yong Zhu,
Tingting Li,
Xiaoyu Lin,
Wei Mao,
Zeeshan Ghulam Nabi Gishkori,
Zhixue Zhao,
Jiwei Zhang,
Yanyan Huang,
Mei Pu,
Jing Fan,
Jing Wang,
Wenming Wang

Affiliations

Yan Li: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Ying Tong: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Xiaorong He: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Yong Zhu: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Tingting Li: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Xiaoyu Lin: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Wei Mao: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Zeeshan Ghulam Nabi Gishkori: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Zhixue Zhao: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Jiwei Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Yanyan Huang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Mei Pu: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Jing Fan: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Jing Wang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China
Wenming Wang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Rice Research Institute and Key Lab for Major Crop Diseases, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 1
pp. 117 – 127

Abstract

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MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as regulators of plant development and multiple stress responses. Here we demonstrate that the rice miR171b-SCL6-IIs module regulates the balance between blast resistance, grain yield, and flowering. miR171b-overexpressing rice plants (OX171b) displayed increased rice blast resistance accompanied with enhanced defense responses and late heading, whereas blocking miR171b expression in rice (MIM171) led to greater susceptibility to blast disease, associated with compromised defense responses and early heading. Either overexpressing or silencing of miR171b significantly affected plant height and number of filled seeds per panicle (seed-setting rate), resulting in decreased grain yield. miR171b targets SCL6-IIa, SCL6-IIb, and SCL6-IIc, whose expression was suppressed in OX171b but increased in MIM171. Mutants of SCL6-IIa, SCL6-IIb, and SCL6-IIc all displayed phenotypes like that of OX171b, including markedly increased blast disease resistance, slightly decreased grain yield, and delayed flowering. Amounts of miR171b increased gradually in leaves during the vegetative stage but decreased gradually in panicles during the reproductive stage, whereas SCL6-IIs displayed the reverse expression pattern. Together, these results suggest that the expression of miR171b was time- and space-dependent during the rice growth period and regulated the balance between rice blast disease resistance, grain yield, and flowering via SCL6-IIs, and that appropriate accumulation of miR171b is essential for rice development.

Published in Crop Journal

ISSN: 2095-5421 (Print); 2214-5141 (Online)
Publisher: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Agriculture (General)
Website: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/the-crop-journal/

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