Effects of GS3 and GL3.1 for Grain Size Editing by CRISPR/Cas9 in Rice
Chen Yuyu,
Zhu Aike,
Xue Pao,
Wen Xiaoxia,
Cao Yongrun,
Wang Beifang,
Zhang Yue,
Shah Liaqat,
Cheng Shihua,
Cao Liyong,
Zhang Yingxin
Affiliations
Chen Yuyu
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Zhu Aike
Nanchong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchong 637000, China
Xue Pao
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China
Wen Xiaoxia
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China
Cao Yongrun
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China
Wang Beifang
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China
Zhang Yue
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China
Shah Liaqat
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China
Cheng Shihua
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China
Cao Liyong
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China; Corresponding authors.
Zhang Yingxin
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 311401, China; Corresponding authors.
Grain size is one of key agronomic traits associated with grain yield and grain quality. Both major quantitative trait loci GS3 and GL3.1 play a predominant role in negative regulation of grain size. In this study, a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated multiplex genome editing system was used to simultaneously edit GS3 and GL3.1 in a typical japonica rice Nipponbare. In T1 generation, we found that gs3 formed slender grain with lower chalkiness percentage, while gs3gl3.1 produced larger grain with higher chalkiness percentage. In terms of other agronomic traits, flag leaf size, grain number and grain yield of both gs3 and gs3gl3.1 mutants were affected. It is noteworthy that gs3 and gs3gl3.1 mutants both led to dramatical reduction of grain number, thereby decreased grain yield. In conclusion, these results indicated that knockout of GS3 and GL3.1 could rapidly improve grain size, but probably have some negative influences on grain quality and grain yield.
