A VIN3-like Protein OsVIL1 Is Involved in Grain Yield and Biomass in Rice.

In chromatin remodeling, the post-translational modification of histone proteins is mediated by multimeric protein complexes. VERNALIZATION INSENSITIVE3 (VIN3) forms a complex with Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), which mediates the trimethylation of H3K27 to repress target gene expression. In rice, four genes (OsVIL1-OsVIL4) encoding the VIN3-like proteins are expressed ubiquitously in various tissues.

Chromatin Interacting Factor OsVIL2 Is Required for Outgrowth of Axillary Buds in Rice.

Shoot branching is an essential agronomic trait that impacts on plant architecture and yield. Shoot branching is determined by two independent steps: axillary meristem formation and axillary bud outgrowth. Although several genes and regulatory mechanism have been studied with respect to shoot branching, the roles of chromatin-remodeling factors in the developmental process have not been reported in rice.

OsVIL1 controls flowering time in rice by suppressing OsLF under short days and by inducing Ghd7 under long days.

OsVIL1 is associated with a PRC2-like complex through its fibronectin type III domain to activate flowering by suppressing OsLF under SD and delay flowering by inducing Ghd7 under LD. Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) inhibits the expression of target genes by modifying histone proteins. Although several genes that epigenetically regulate flowering time have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa), the molecular mechanism by which PRC2 affects flowering time has not been well understood in rice.

OsPUB15, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, functions to reduce cellular oxidative stress during seedling establishment.

The plant U-box (PUB) protein functions as an E3 ligase to poly-ubiquitinate a target protein for its degradation or post-translational modification. Here, we report functional roles for OsPUB15, which encodes a cytosolic U-box protein in the class-II PUB family. Self-ubiquitination assays showed that bacterially expressed MBP-OsPUB15 protein has E3 ubiquitin ligase activity.

Mutation in Wilted Dwarf and Lethal 1 (WDL1) causes abnormal cuticle formation and rapid water loss in rice.

Epidermal cell layers play important roles in plant defenses against various environmental stresses. Here we report the identification of a cuticle membrane mutant, wilted dwarf and lethal 1 (wdl1), from a rice T-DNA insertional population. The mutant is dwarf and die at seedling stage due to increased rates of water loss.

OsZIP5 is a plasma membrane zinc transporter in rice.

Zinc is essential for normal plant growth and development. To understand its transport in rice, we characterized OsZIP5, which is inducible under Zn deficiency. OsZIP5 complemented the growth defect of a yeast Zn-uptake mutant, indicating that OsZIP5 is a Zn transporter.

OsMADS50 and OsMADS56 function antagonistically in regulating long day (LD)-dependent flowering in rice.

In much of the tropics and subtropics, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is grown under long days (LDs). Therefore, LD must play a major role in inducing flowering signal in rice.