The OsNAC24-OsNAP protein complex activates OsGBSSI and OsSBEI expression to fine-tune starch biosynthesis in rice endosperm.

Starch accounts for up to 90% of the dry weight of rice endosperm and is a key determinant of grain quality. Although starch biosynthesis enzymes have been comprehensively studied, transcriptional regulation of starch-synthesis enzyme-coding genes (SECGs) is largely unknown. In this study, we explored the role of a NAC transcription factor, OsNAC24, in regulating starch biosynthesis in rice.

High-resolution quantitative trait locus mapping for rice grain quality traits using genotyping by sequencing.

Rice is a major food crop that sustains approximately half of the world population. Recent worldwide improvements in the standard of living have increased the demand for high-quality rice. Accurate identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for rice grain quality traits will facilitate rice quality breeding and improvement.

Regulates Seed Development and Plant Growth and Participates in the Brassinosteroid Signaling Pathway.

Grain size and the endosperm starch content determine grain yield and quality in rice. Although these yield components have been intensively studied, their regulatory mechanisms are still largely unknown. In this study, we show that loss-of-function of , a member of the NAC transcription factor gene family that has its highest expression in the immature seed, greatly increased grain length, grain weight, apparent amylose content (AAC), and plant height.

Oligomerization of rice granule-bound starch synthase 1 modulates its activity regulation.

Granule-bound starch synthase 1 (GBSS1) is responsible for amylose synthesis in cereals, and this enzyme is regulated at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. In this study, we show that GBSS1 from Oryza sativa L. (OsGBSS1) can form oligomers in rice endosperm, and oligomerized OsGBSS1 exhibits much higher specific enzymatic activity than the monomer.

OsbZIP58, a basic leucine zipper transcription factor, regulates starch biosynthesis in rice endosperm.

Starch composition and the amount in endosperm, both of which contribute dramatically to seed yield, cooking quality, and taste in cereals, are determined by a series of complex biochemical reactions. However, the mechanism regulating starch biosynthesis in cereal seeds is not well understood. This study showed that OsbZIP58, a bZIP transcription factor, is a key transcriptional regulator controlling starch synthesis in rice endosperm.

Establishing a gene trap system mediated by T-DNA(GUS) in rice.

Two plasmids, p13GUS and p13GUS2, were constructed to create a gene trap system containing the promoterless beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene in the T-DNA region. Transformation of these two plasmids into the rice variety Zhonghua 11 (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cv.

[Preliminary screening of target genes of rice transcription factor OsBP-73].

Previous data showed that a 31-bp (from -840 bp to -810 bp) DNA fragment located at the 5' upstream region of rice waxy gene could interact with nuclear protein extracted from developing endosperm of rice. When this 31 bp DNA sequence was used as a bait to screen a rice cDNA library with a yeast one-hybrid system, three groups of cDNA clones were isolated. One of them is pC73, the correspondent rice gene of pC73 was named as OsBP-73 (Oryza sativa binding protein).

OsRRM, a Spen-like rice gene expressed specifically in the endosperm.

We used the promoter trap technique to identify a rice plant, named 107#, in which the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene was expressed specifically in the endosperm. A single copy of the T-DNA was inserted into the plant genome, and a candidate gene OsRRM was identified by the insertion. The OsRRM promoter directed GUS expression specifically in rice endosperm, analogous to the GUS expression pattern observed in 107#.

[Establishment of promoter trapping system mediated by activator/dissociation (beta-glucuronidase) construction in rice].

The coding region of Bar gene, the left border of Ds element, the coding region of GUS gene, the transposase of Ac element, the right border of Ds element and the promoter of Ubi gene were inserted into the T-DNA region of vector pCAMBIA1300 in turn to construct plasmid p13B. The orientations of the ubiquitons' promoter, Ac transposase and Bar are identical but opposite to that of the GUS gene (Fig.1).

A rice quantitative trait locus for salt tolerance encodes a sodium transporter.

Many important agronomic traits in crop plants, including stress tolerance, are complex traits controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Isolation of these QTLs holds great promise to improve world agriculture but is a challenging task. We previously mapped a rice QTL, SKC1, that maintained K(+) homeostasis in the salt-tolerant variety under salt stress, consistent with the earlier finding that K(+) homeostasis is important in salt tolerance.

[Rapidly obtaining the markerless transgenic rice with reduced amylose content by co-transformation and anther culture].

The plasmid p13W8 carrying antisense fragment of waxy gene and plasmid pCAMBIA1300 containing hpt gene were introduced into rice by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated co-transformation, and 86 transgenic plants were obtained, 32 of them showed positive bands for antisense waxy gene by PCR analysis, the waxy-positive plant frequency is 37.2%. The segregation of antisense fragment of waxy gene and hpt gene was observed by PCR using hpt gene primers and waxy gene primers respectively in 29 T(1) population.

[Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of granulocytic sarcomas].

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma (GS).

Methods: The morphological and immunological characteristics of 12 cases of GS were studied. FAB classification was made by peripheral blood, bone marrow picture and bone marrow biopsy assay.

An interaction between a MYC protein and an EREBP protein is involved in transcriptional regulation of the rice Wx gene.

We previously demonstrated that a 31-bp nucleotide sequence located upstream of the rice Wx gene played an important role in its expression. We further showed that this cis-acting regulator interacts with nuclear proteins extracted from developing rice endosperm. We used the 31-bp sequence as bait in a yeast one-hybrid system to isolate several cDNA clones from a rice cDNA expression library.