RADICLELESS 1 (RL1)-mediated nad4 intron 1 splicing is crucial for embryo and endosperm development in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are one of the largest protein families in land plants. PPR proteins exhibit sequence-specific RNA-binding activity and are implicated in plant growth and development related processes. In this study, we report that the radicleless 1 (rl1) mutant in rice (Oryza sativa L.) exhibited defective radicle emergence in embryos and compromised grain filling in endosperms. Gene cloning and confirmation via genetic complementation analyses showed that RL1 encodes a P-type PPR protein, which is localized to mitochondria. The RL1 protein was specifically involved in the splicing of intron 1 of the mitochondrial nad4 transcript, which encodes a subunit of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase complex. Consistent with this observation, the rl1 mutant exhibited altered mitochondrial morphology and lower ATP accumulation compared with the wild type. Thus, our findings suggest that RL1-mediated nad4 splicing is crucial for embryo and endosperm development in rice.