Overexpression of a methyl-CpG-binding protein gene OsMBD707 leads to larger tiller angles and reduced photoperiod sensitivity in rice.

Background: Methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins play important roles in epigenetic gene regulation, and have diverse molecular, cellular, and biological functions in plants. MBD proteins have been functionally characterized in various plant species, including Arabidopsis, wheat, maize, and tomato. In rice, 17 sequences were bioinformatically predicted as putative MBD proteins.

Bulked Segregant Analysis Coupled with Whole-Genome Sequencing (BSA-Seq) Mapping Identifies a Novel Haplotype Conferring Basal Resistance to Rice Blast Disease.

Basal or partial resistance has been considered race-non-specific and broad-spectrum. Therefore, the identification of genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring basal resistance and germplasm containing them is of significance in breeding crops with durable resistance. In this study, we performed a bulked segregant analysis coupled with whole-genome sequencing (BSA-seq) to identify QTLs controlling basal resistance to blast disease in an F population derived from two rice varieties, 02428 and LiXinGeng (LXG), which differ significantly in basal resistance to rice blast.