Agrobacterium-Mediated Genetic Transformation, Transgenic Production, and Its Application for the Study of Male Reproductive Development in Rice.

Male sterility is an important agronomic trait for hybrid seed production that is usually characterized by functional defects in male reproductive organs/gametes. Recent advances in CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology allow for high editing efficacy and timesaving knockout mutations of endogenous candidate genes at specific sites. Additionally, Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of rice is also a key method for gene modification, which has been widely adopted by many public and private laboratories.

NERD1 is required for primexine formation and plasma membrane undulation during microsporogenesis in .

The primexine formation and plasma membrane undulation are the crucial steps of pollen wall formation in many angiosperms. However, the molecular mechanism underlining these processes is largely unknown. In Arabidopsis, NEW ENHANCER OF ROOT DWARFISM1 (NERD1), a transmembrane protein, was reported to play pleiotropic roles in plant development including male fertility control; while, how NERD1 disruption impacts male reproduction is yet unclear.

Defective Pollen Wall 3 (DPW3), a novel alpha integrin-like protein, is required for pollen wall formation in rice.

In flowering plants, pollen wall is a specialized extracellular cell-wall matrix surrounding male gametophytes and acts as a natural protector of pollen grains against various environmental and biological stresses. The formation of pollen wall is a complex but well-regulated process, which involves the action of many different genes. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain largely unknown.

Comparative metabolomic analysis of wild type and mads3 mutant rice anthers.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) MADS3 transcription factor regulates the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during late anther development, and one MADS3 mutant, mads3-4, has defective anther walls, aborted microspores and complete male sterility. Here, we report the untargeted metabolomic analysis of both wild type and mads3-4 mature anthers.