The plasma membrane-localized OsNIP1;2 mediates internal aluminum detoxification in rice.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity significantly restricts crop production on acidic soils. Although rice is highly resistant to Al stress, the underlying resistant mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we characterized the function of OsNIP1;2, a plasma membrane-localized nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein (NIP) in rice.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated functional recovery of the recessive rc allele to develop red rice.

Red rice contains high levels of proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins, which have been recognized as health-promoting nutrients. The red coloration of rice grains is controlled by two complementary genes, Rc and Rd. The RcRd genotype produces red pericarp in wild species Oryza rufipogon, whereas most cultivated rice varieties produce white grains resulted from a 14-bp frame-shift deletion in the seventh exon of the Rc gene.

A Chemical-Induced, Seed-Soaking Activation Procedure for Regulated Gene Expression in Rice.

Inducible gene expression has emerged as a powerful tool for plant functional genomics. The estrogen receptor-based, chemical-inducible system XVE has been used in many plant species, but the limited systemic movement of inducer β-estradiol in transgenic rice plants has prohibited a wide use of the XVE system in this important food crop. Here, we constructed an improved chemical-regulated, site-specific recombination system by employing the XVE transactivator in combination with a Cre/-FRT system, and optimized a seed-soaking procedure for XVE induction in rice.