The MYB transcription factor Baymax1 plays a critical role in rice male fertility.

Key message Rice male fertility gene Baymax1, isolated through map-based cloning, encodes a MYB transcription factor and is essential for rice tapetum and microspore development.Abstract The mining and characterization of male fertility gene will provide theoretical and material basis for future rice production. In Arabidopsis, the development of male organ (namely anther), usually involves the coordination between MYB (v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog) and bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) members.

UMP Kinase Regulates Chloroplast Development and Cold Response in Rice.

Pyrimidine nucleotides are important metabolites that are building blocks of nucleic acids, which participate in various aspects of plant development. Only a few genes involved in pyrimidine metabolism have been identified in rice and the majority of their functions remain unclear. In this study, we used a map-based cloning strategy to isolate a gene in rice, encoding the UMP kinase that phosphorylates UMP to form UDP, from a recessive mutant with pale-green leaves.

Locating QTLs controlling several adult root traits in an elite Chinese hybrid rice.

This study aimed to elucidate the genetics of the adult root system in elite Chinese hybrid rice. Several adult root traits in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of Xieyou 9308 and two backcross F1 (BCF1) populations derived from the RILs were phenotyped under hydroponic culture at heading stage for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and other statistical analysis. There a total of eight QTLs detected for the root traits.