Frontiers in Plant Science (Mar 2012)

The rice diacylglycerol kinase family: functional analysis using transient RNA interference

  • Hongliang eGe,
  • Chu eChen,
  • Wen eJing,
  • Qun eZhang,
  • Hong eWang,
  • Rong eWang,
  • Wenhua eZhang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2012.00060
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3

Abstract

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Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) is a pivotal enzyme that phosphorylates diacylglycerol (DAG) to form phosphatidic acid (PA). The production of PA from phospholipase D (PLD) and the coupled phospholipase C (PLC)/DGK route is an important signaling process in animal and plant cells. In this study, we report a genomic analysis of eight putative rice DGKs encoded by a gene family (OsDGKs) grouped into three clusters. To further investigate the functions of the OsDGKs, a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-induced RNA silencing method was established. Introduction of in vitro-synthesized dsRNAs corresponding to a unique or conserved region of OsDGKs into rice protoplasts abolished or diminished the expression of individual or multiple OsDGK genes. Suppressing the expression of OsDGKs resulted in a distinct depletion of the transcripts of the defense gene OsNPR1 and the salt-responsive gene OsCIPK15. Our primary results suggest that OsDGKs are involved in the signaling of stress responses.

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