The Rice Mutant dwarf bamboo shoot 1: A Leaky Mutant of the NACK-type Kinesin-like Gene Can Initiate Organ Primordia but not Organ Development

High-resolution bin-based linkage mapping uncovers the genetic architecture and heterosis-related loci of plant height in indica-japonica derived populations

Plant height (PH) is an important trait affecting the plant architecture, seed yield, and harvest index. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PH heterosis remain unclear. In addition, useful PH-related genes must be urgently identified to facilitate ideal plant architecture breeding in rice (Oryza sativa L.). In the present study, to explore rice quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and heterosis-related loci of PH in rice, we developed a high-generation (>F₁₅ ) population of 272 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) from a cross of two elite varieties, Luohui 9 (indica/xian) × RPY geng (japonica/geng), and two testcross hybrid populations derived from the crosses of RILs and two cytoplasmic male sterile lines (YTA [indica] and Z7A [japonica]). Using deep resequencing data, a high-density genetic map containing 4758 bin markers was constructed, with a total map distance of 2356.41 cM. Finally, 31 PH-related QTLs for different PH component lengths or tiller numbers across five seasons were identified. Two major environment-specific PH QTLs were stably detected in Hainan (qPH-3.1) or Hubei (qPH-5.1), which have undergone significant functional alterations in rice with changes in geographical environment. Based on comparative genomics, gene function annotation, homolog identification, and existing literature (pioneering studies), candidate genes for multiple QTLs were fine-mapped, and the candidate genes qPH-3.1 and qPH-5.1 for PH were further validated using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Specifically, qPH-3.1 was characterized as a pleiotropic gene, and the qPH-3.1 knockout line showed reduced PH, delayed heading, a decreased seed setting rate, and increased tiller numbers. Importantly, 10 PH heterosis-related QTLs were identified in the testcross populations, and a better-parent heterosis locus (qBPH-5.2) completely covered qPH-5.1. Furthermore, the cross results of fixed-genotype RILs verified the dominant effects of qPH-3.1 and qPH-5.1. Together, these findings further our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of PH and offer multiple highly reliable gene targets for breeding rice varieties with ideal architecture and high yield potential in the immediate future.

Supraoptimal Brassinosteroid Levels Inhibit Root Growth by Reducing Root Meristem and Cell Elongation in Rice

Root growth depends on cell proliferation and cell elongation at the root meristem, which are controlled by plant hormones and nutrient availability. As a foraging strategy, rice (Oryza sativa L.) grows longer roots when nitrogen (N) is scarce. However, how the plant steroid hormone brassinosteroid (BR) regulates rice root meristem development and responses to N deficiency remains unclear. Here, we show that BR has a negative effect on meristem size and a dose-dependent effect on cell elongation in roots of rice seedlings treated with exogenous BR (24-epicastasterone, ECS) and the BR biosynthesis inhibitor propiconazole (PPZ). A genome-wide transcriptome analysis identified 4110 and 3076 differentially expressed genes in response to ECS and PPZ treatments, respectively. The gene ontology (GO) analysis shows that terms related to cell proliferation and cell elongation were enriched among the ECS-repressed genes. Furthermore, microscopic analysis of ECS- and PPZ-treated roots grown under N-sufficient and N-deficient conditions demonstrates that exogenous BR or PPZ application could not enhance N deficiency-mediated root elongation promotion as the treatments could not promote root meristem size and cell elongation simultaneously. Our study demonstrates that optimal levels of BR in the rice root meristem are crucial for optimal root growth and the foraging response to N deficiency.

Era-like GTP protein gene expression in rice

The mutations are genetic changes in the genome sequences and have a significant role in biotechnology, genetics, and molecular biology even to find out the genome sequences of a cell DNA along with the viral RNA sequencing. The mutations are the alterations in DNA that may be natural or spontaneous and induced due to biochemical reactions or radiations which damage cell DNA. There is another cause of mutations which is known as transposons or jumping genes which can change their position in the genome during meiosis or DNA replication. The transposable elements can induce by self in the genome due to cellular and molecular mechanisms including hypermutation which caused the localization of transposable elements to move within the genome. The use of induced mutations for studying the mutagenesis in crop plants is very common as well as a promising method for screening crop plants with new and enhanced traits for the improvement of yield and production. The utilization of insertional mutations through transposons or jumping genes usually generates stable mutant alleles which are mostly tagged for the presence or absence of jumping genes or transposable elements. The transposable elements may be used for the identification of mutated genes in crop plants and even for the stable insertion of transposable elements in mutated crop plants. The guanine nucleotide-binding (GTP) proteins have an important role in inducing tolerance in rice plants to combat abiotic stress conditions.

Genome wide analysis of kinesin gene family in Citrullus lanatus reveals an essential role in early fruit development

BACKGROUND

Kinesin (KIN) as a motor protein is a versatile nano-machine and involved in diverse essential processes in plant growth and development. However, the kinesin gene family has not been identified in watermelon, a valued and nutritious fruit, and yet their functions have not been characterized. Especially, their involvement in early fruit development, which directly determines the size, shape, yield and quality of the watermelon fruit, remains unclear.

RESULTS

In this study, we performed a whole-genome investigation and comprehensive analysis of kinesin genes in C. lanatus. In total, 48 kinesins were identified and categorized into 10 kinesin subfamilies groups based on phylogenetic analysis. Their uneven distribution on 11 chromosomes was revealed by distribution analysis. Conserved motif analysis showed that the ATP-binding motif of kinesins was conserved within all subfamilies, but not the microtubule-binding motif. 10 segmental duplication pairs genes were detected by the syntenic and phylogenetic approaches, which showed the expansion of the kinesin gene family in C. lanatus genome during evolution. Moreover, 5 ClKINs genes are specifically and abundantly expressed in early fruit developmental stages according to comprehensive expression profile analysis, implying their critical regulatory roles during early fruit development. Our data also demonstrated that the majority of kinesin genes were responsive to plant hormones, revealing their potential involvement in the signaling pathways of plant hormones.

CONCLUSIONS

Kinesin gene family in watermelon was comprehensively analyzed in this study, which establishes a foundation for further functional investigation of C. lanatus kinesin genes and provides novel insights into their biological functions. In addition, these results also provide useful information for understanding the relationship between plant hormone and kinesin genes in C. lanatus.

Key role of the motor protein Kinesin 13B in the activity of homeodomain-leucine zipper I transcription factors

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) homeodomain-leucine zipper I transcription factor HaHB11 conferred differential phenotypic features when it was expressed in Arabidopsis, alfalfa, and maize plants. Such differences were increased biomass, seed yield, and tolerance to flooding. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms leading to such traits and identify HaHB11-interacting proteins, a yeast two-hybrid screening of an Arabidopsis cDNA library was carried out using HaHB11 as bait. The sole protein identified with high confidence as interacting with HaHB11 was Kinesin 13B. The interaction was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation and by yeast two-hybrid assay. Kinesin 13B also interacted with AtHB7, the Arabidopsis closest ortholog of HaHB11. Histochemical analyses revealed an overlap between the expression patterns of the three genes in hypocotyls, apical meristems, young leaves, vascular tissue, axillary buds, cauline leaves, and cauline leaf nodes at different developmental stages. AtKinesin 13B mutants did not exhibit a differential phenotype when compared with controls; however, both HaHB11 and AtHB7 overexpressor plants lost, partially or totally, their differential phenotypic characteristics when crossed with such mutants. Altogether, the results indicated that Kinesin 13B is essential for the homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factors I to exert their functions, probably via regulation of the intracellular distribution of these transcription factors by the motor protein.

Differences in gene expression profiles at the early stage of Solanum lycopersicum infection with mild and severe variants of potato spindle tuber viroid

Viroids with small, non-coding circular RNA genome can induce diseases in many plant species. The extend of infection symptoms depends on environmental conditions, viroid strain, and host plant species and cultivar. Pathogen recognition leads to massive transcriptional reprogramming to favor defense responses over normal cellular functions. To better understand the interaction between plant host and potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) variants that differ in their virulence, comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed by an RNA-seq approach. The changes of gene expression were analyzed at the time point when subtle symptoms became visible in plants infected with the severe PSTVd-S23 variant, while those infected with the mild PSTVd-M variant looked like non-infected healthy plants. Over 3000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were recognized in both infections, but the majority of them were specific for infection with the severe variant. In both infections recognized DEGs were mainly related to biotic stress, hormone metabolism and signaling, transcription regulation, protein degradation, and transport. The DEGs related to cell cycle and microtubule were uniquely down-regulated only in the PSTVd-S23-infected plants. Similarly, expression of transcription factors from C2C2-GATA and growth-regulating factor (GRF) families was only altered upon infection with the severe variant. Both PSTVd variants triggered plant immune response; however expression of genes encoding crucial factors of this process was markedly more changed in the plants infected with the severe variant than in those with the mild one.

Reduction of ATPase activity in the rice kinesin protein Stemless Dwarf 1 inhibits cell division and organ development

Several kinesins, the ATP-driven microtubule (MT)-based motor proteins, have been reported to be involved in many basic processes of plant development; however, little is known about the biological relevance of their ATPase activity. Here, we characterized the Oryza sativa (rice) stemless dwarf 1 (std1) mutant, showing a severely dwarfed phenotype, with no differentiation of the node and internode structure, abnormal cell shapes, a shortened leaf division zone and a reduced cell division rate. Further analysis revealed that a substantial subset of cells was arrested in the S and G2/M phases, and multinucleate cells were present in the std1 mutant. Map-based cloning revealed that STD1 encodes a phragmoplast-associated kinesin-related protein, a homolog of the Arabidopsis thaliana PAKRP2, and is mainly expressed in the actively dividing tissues. The STD1 protein is localized specifically to the phragmoplast midzone during telophase and cytokinesis. In the std1 mutant, the substitution of Val-40-Glu in the motor domain of STD1 significantly reduced its MT-dependent ATPase activity. Accordingly, the lateral expansion of phragmoplast, a key step in cell plate formation, was arrested during cytokinesis. Therefore, these results indicate that the MT-dependent ATPase activity is indispensible for STD1 in regulating normal cell division and organ development.

A Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Brassinosteroid-induced Protein Phosphorylation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The group of polyhydroxysteroid phytohormones referred to as the brassinosteroids (BRs) is known to act on plant development and the stress response. BR signal transduction relies largely on protein phosphorylation. By employing a label-free, MS (Mass Spectrometry)-based phosphoproteomic approach, we report here the largest profiling of 4,034 phosphosites on 1,900 phosphoproteins from rice young seedlings and their dynamic response to BR. 1,821 proteins, including kinases, transcription factors and core components of BR and other hormone signaling pathways, were found to be differentially phosphorylated during the BR treatment. A Western blot analysis verified the differential phosphorylation of five of these proteins, implying that the MS-based phosphoproteomic data were robust. It is proposed that the dephosphorylation of gibberellin (GA) signaling components could represent an important mechanism for the BR-regulated antagonism to GA, and that BR influences the plant architecture of rice by regulating cellulose synthesis via phosphorylation.

Global Transcriptome Profiling Analysis of Inhibitory Effects of Paclobutrazol on Leaf Growth in Lily (Lilium Longiflorum-Asiatic Hybrid)

As a popular ornamental flower, potted lily is an important object of lily breeding. Paclobutrazol, a chemical growth retardation compound, is often used to dwarf plant in producing potted lilies. However, in recent years, the plants with inherited dwarf traits by using genetic engineer breeding technology are being developed. The studies on molecular basis of lily dwarfism will offer some target genes which have profound dwarf effect for genetic engineer breeding. Here, we confirmed that paclobutrazol inhibited plant height and leaf size in Lilium Longiflorum-Asiatic hybrid, and then RNA-Seq technique was employed to analyze gene transcripts of Lilium Longiflorum-Asiatic hybrid leaves by paclobutrazol treatment in order to get a deeper insight into dwarfism mechanism of lily. Approximately 38.6 Gb data was obtained and assemble into 53,681 unigenes. Annotation, pathways, functional classification and phylogenetic classification of these data were analyzed based on Nr, Nt, Swiss-Prot, KEGG, COG, and GO databases. 2704 differentially expressed genes were screened by comparing paclobutrazol-treated samples with untreated samples and quantitative real-time PCR was performed to validate expression profiles. By analyzing dynamic changes of differentially expressed genes, nine metabolic pathways and signal transduction pathways were significantly enriched and many potentially interesting genes were identified that encoded putative regulators or key components of cell division, cell expansion, GA metabolism and signaling transduction and these genes were highlighted to reveal their importance in regulation of plant size. These results will provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanism on lily dwarfism and some potential genes related to lily organ size, which will lay the foundation for molecular breeding of potted lilies. These transcriptome data will also serve as valuable public genomic resources for other genetic research in lily.

A cytochrome P450, OsDSS1, is involved in growth and drought stress responses in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Cytochrome P450s are among the largest protein coding gene families in plant genomes. However, majority of the genes remain uncharacterized. Here, we report the characterization of dss1, a rice mutant showing dwarfism and reduced grain size. The dss1 phenotype is caused by a non-synonymous point mutation we identified in DSS1, which is member of a P450 gene cluster located on rice chromosome 3 and corresponds to the previously reported CYP96B4/SD37 gene. Phenotypes of several dwarf mutants characterized in rice are associated with defects in the biosynthesis or perception of the phytohormones gibberellins (GAs) and brassinosteroids (BRs). However, both GA and BR failed to rescue the dss1 phenotype. Hormone profiling revealed the accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) and ABA metabolites, as well as significant reductions in GA19 and GA53 levels, precursors of the bioactive GA1, in the mutant. The dss1 contents of cytokinin and auxins were not significantly different from wild-type plants. Consistent with the accumulation of ABA and metabolites, germination and early growth was delayed in dss1, which also exhibited an enhanced tolerance to drought. Additionally, expressions of members of the DSS1/CYP96B gene cluster were regulated by drought stress and exogenous ABA. RNA-seq-based transcriptome profiling revealed, among others, that cell wall-related genes and genes involved in lipid metabolism were up- and down-regulated in dss1, respectively. Taken together, these findings suggest that DSS1 mediates growth and stress responses in rice by fine-tuning GA-to-ABA balance, and might as well play a role in lipid metabolism.

The carboxyl-terminal tail of the stalk of Arabidopsis NACK1/HINKEL kinesin is required for its localization to the cell plate formation site

Plant cytokinesis is achieved by formation of cell plates in the phragmoplast, a plant-specific cytokinetic apparatus, which consists of microtubules (MTs) and microfilaments. During cytokinesis, the cell plate is expanded centrifugally outward from the inside of cells in a process that is supported by dynamic turnover of MTs. M-phase-specific kinesin NACK1, which comprises the motor domain at the amino-terminal half to move on MT bundles and the stalk region in the carboxyl-terminal half, is a key player in the process of MT turnover. That is, the specific region in the stalk binds the MAP kinase kinase kinase to activate the whole MAP kinase cascade, which stimulates depolymerization of MTs for the MT turnover. The stalk is also responsible for recruiting the activated kinase cascade to the mid-zone of the phragmoplast, which corresponds to the cell-plate formation site. It should be crucial to uncover roles of the NACK1 kinesin stalk as well as the motor domain in the formation of cell plates in order to understand the mechanisms of cell plate formation. Using dissected Arabidopsis NACK1 (AtNACK1/HINKEL) molecules and AtNACK1-fused GFP, we showed that the C-terminal tail of the stalk in addition to the motor domain is critical for its proper localization to the site of cell plate formation in the phragmoplast, probably by affecting its motility activity.

Isolation and characterisation of a dwarf rice mutant exhibiting defective gibberellins biosynthesis

We have isolated a severe dwarf mutant derived from a Ds (Dissociation) insertion mutant rice (Oryza sativa var. japonica c.v. Dongjin). This severe dwarf phenotype, has short and dark green leaves, reduced shoot growth early in the seedling stage, and later severe dwarfism with failure to initiate flowering. When treated with bioactive GA3 , mutants are restored to the normal wild-type phenotype. Reverse transcription PCR analyses of 22 candidate genes related to the gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis pathway revealed that among 22 candidate genes tested, a dwarf mutant transcript was not expressed only in one OsKS2 gene. Genetic analysis revealed that the severe dwarf phenotype was controlled by recessive mutation of a single nuclear gene. The putative OsKS2 gene was a chromosome 4-located ent-kaurene synthase (KS), encoding the enzyme that catalyses an early step of the GA biosynthesis pathway. Sequence analysis revealed that osks2 carried a 1-bp deletion in the ORF region of OsKS2, which led to a loss-of-function mutation. The expression pattern of OsKS2 in wild-type cv Dongjin, showed that it is expressed in all organs, most prominently in the stem and floral organs. Morphological characteristics of the dwarf mutant showed dramatic modifications in internal structure and external morphology. We propose that dwarfism in this mutant is caused by a point mutation in OsKS2, which plays a significant role in growth and development of higher plants. Further investigation on OsKS2 and other OsKS-like proteins is underway and may yield better understanding of the putative role of OsKS in severe dwarf mutants.

Gene SGL, encoding a kinesin-like protein with transactivation activity, is involved in grain length and plant height in rice

Grain shape, a complex agronomic trait, plays an important role in determining yield and quality in rice. In the present study, a mutant named short grain length (sgl) was identified among explants of tissue cultured japonica variety Kita-ake. It exhibited reduced plant height (about 72 % of WT) and short grain length (about 80 % of WT). The reduced length was due to decreased cell elongation. The Short Grain Length (SGL) gene was isolated via map-based cloning and identified to encode a kinesin-like protein. SGL was expressed in the whole plant, especially in the stem and panicles. SGL was shown to have transcriptional activity. In onion epidermal cells, SGL protein was found mainly in the nucleus. Real-time PCR analyses showed that expression levels of genes involved in gibberellin metabolic pathways were affected in the sgl mutant. These data suggested that SGL protein may be involved in regulating GA synthesis and response genes, that in turn, regulates grain length and plant height.

Signaling Pathway that Controls Plant Cytokinesis

Cytokinesis is the final process of cell division cycle that properly separates cytoplasmic components and duplicated nuclei into two daughter cells. Plant cytokinesis occurs in phragmoplast, the cytokinetic machinery composed mainly of microtubule (MT) arrays. Recent studies have revealed that a plant-specific mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is involved in cytokinesis. The activity of this cascade is controlled by cytokinesis-specific kinesin called NACK in tobacco and Arabidopsis, which is required for the cell plate formation in the phragmoplast. Functions of NACK are strictly controlled by cyclin-dependent kinase/cyclin B complexes so as to be activated at the correct timing for cytokinesis. Thus, this pathway constitutes a part of the regulatory system controlling the cell cycle progression. Here, we review recent advancements for understanding how the activation of this pathway can be specified in the late stage of the M phase and how this MAPK cascade can control cytokinesis through MT turnover.

Cytoskeletal and membrane dynamics during higher plant cytokinesis

Following mitosis, cytoplasm, organelles and genetic material are partitioned into daughter cells through the process of cytokinesis. In somatic cells of higher plants, two cytoskeletal arrays, the preprophase band and the phragmoplast, facilitate the positioning and de novo assembly of the plant-specific cytokinetic organelle, the cell plate, which develops across the division plane and fuses with the parental plasma membrane to yield distinct new cells. The coordination of cytoskeletal and membrane dynamics required to initiate, assemble and shape the cell plate as it grows toward the mother cell cortex is dependent upon a large array of proteins, including molecular motors, membrane tethering, fusion and restructuring factors and biosynthetic, structural and regulatory elements. This review focuses on the temporal and molecular requirements of cytokinesis in somatic cells of higher plants gleaned from recent studies using cell biology, genetics, pharmacology and biochemistry.

The novel functions of kinesin motor proteins in plants

Kinesin superfamily proteins are important microtubule-based motor proteins with a kinesin motor domain that is conserved among all eukaryotic organisms. They are responsible for unidirectionally transporting various cargoes, including membranous organelles, protein complexes, and mRNAs. They also play critical roles in mitosis, morphogenesis, and signal transduction. Most kinesins in plants are evolutionarily divergent from their counterparts in animals and fungi. The mitotic kinesins in the plant kinesin-5 and kinesin-14 subfamilies appear to be similar to those in fungi and animals. However, others with nonmotor sequences are unique to plants. The kinesins affect microtubule organization, organelle distribution, vesicle transport, and cellulose microfibril order. Ultimately, plant kinesins contribute directly or indirectly to cell division and cell growth in various tissues. Here, we review a novel function of kinesins with transcription activation activity in regulating gibberellin biosynthesis and cell growth. These findings will open exciting new areas of kinesin research.

Genome-wide haplotype changes produced by artificial selection during modern rice breeding in Japan

During the last 90 years, the breeding of rice has delivered cultivars with improved agronomic and economic characteristics. Crossing of different lines and successive artificial selection of progeny based on their phenotypes have changed the chromosomal constitution of the ancestors of modern rice; however, the nature of these changes is unclear. The recent accumulation of data for genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in rice has allowed us to investigate the change in haplotype structure and composition. To assess the impact of these changes during modern breeding, we studied 177 Japanese rice accessions, which were categorized into three groups: landraces, improved cultivars developed from 1931 to 1974 (the early breeding phase), and improved cultivars developed from 1975 to 2005 (the late breeding phase). Phylogenetic tree and structure analysis indicated genetic differentiation between non-irrigated (upland) and irrigated (lowland) rice groups as well as genetic structuring within the irrigated rice group that corresponded to the existence of three subgroups. Pedigree analysis revealed that a limited number of landraces and cultivars was used for breeding at the beginning of the period of systematic breeding and that 11 landraces accounted for 70% of the ancestors of the modern improved cultivars. The values for linkage disequilibrium estimated from SNP alleles and the haplotype diversity determined from consecutive alleles in five-SNP windows indicated that haplotype blocks became less diverse over time as a result of the breeding process. A decrease in haplotype diversity, caused by a reduced number of polymorphisms in the haplotype blocks, was observed in several chromosomal regions. However, our results also indicate that new haplotype polymorphisms have been generated across the genome during the breeding process. These findings will facilitate our understanding of the association between particular haplotypes and desirable phenotypes in modern Japanese rice cultivars.

Phylogenetic analysis of the Kinesin superfamily from physcomitrella

Kinesins are an ancient superfamily of microtubule dependent motors. They participate in an extensive and diverse list of essential cellular functions, including mitosis, cytokinesis, cell polarization, cell elongation, flagellar development, and intracellular transport. Based on phylogenetic relationships, the kinesin superfamily has been subdivided into 14 families, which are represented in most eukaryotic phyla. The functions of these families are sometimes conserved between species, but important variations in function across species have been observed. Plants possess most kinesin families including a few plant specific families. With the availability of an ever increasing number of genome sequences from plants, it is important to document the complete complement of kinesins present in a given organism. This will help develop a molecular framework to explore the function of each family using genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology. The moss Physcomitrella patens has emerged as a powerful model organism to study gene function in plants, which makes it a key candidate to explore complex gene families, such as the kinesin superfamily. Here we report a detailed phylogenetic characterization of the 71 kinesins of the kinesin superfamily in Physcomitrella. We found a remarkable conservation of families and subfamily classes with Arabidopsis, which is important for future comparative analysis of function. Some of the families, such as kinesins 14s are composed of fewer members in moss, while other families, such as the kinesin 12s are greatly expanded. To improve the comparison between species, and to simplify communication between research groups, we propose a classification of subfamilies based on our phylogenetic analysis.

Arabidopsis thaliana MAP65-1 and MAP65-2 function redundantly with MAP65-3/PLEIADE in cytokinesis downstream of MPK4

Plant cytokinesis occurs by the growth of cell plates from the interior to the periphery of the cell. These dynamic events in cytokinesis are mediated by a plant-specific microtubule (MT) array called the phragmoplast, which consists of bundled antiparallel MTs between the two daughter nuclei. The NACK-PQR pathway, a NACK1 kinesin-like protein and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, is a key regulator of plant cytokinesis through the regulation of phragmoplast MTs. The MT-associated protein MAP65 has been identified as one of the structural components of MT assays involved in cell division, and we recently showed that Arabidopsis AtMAP65-3/PLEIADE (PLE) is a substrate of MPK4 that is a component of the NACK-PQR pathway in Arabidopsis. Here we show that AtMAP65-1 and AtMAP65-2 are also phosphorylated by MPK4. AtMAP65-1 and AtMAP65-2 that localize to the phragmoplast were phosphorylated by MPK4 in vitro. Although mutants of the Arabidopsis AtMAP65-1 and AtMAP65-2 genes exhibited a wild-type phenotype, double mutations of AtMAP65-3 and AtMAP65-1 or AtMAP65-2 caused more severe growth and cytokinetic defects than the single atmap65-3/ple mutation. These results suggest that AtMAP65-1 and AtMAP65-2 also function in cytokinesis downstream of MPK4. 

Biochemical characterization of the novel rice kinesin K23 and its kinetic study using fluorescence resonance energy transfer between an intrinsic tryptophan residue and a fluorescent ATP analogue

We previously demonstrated that the rice kinesin K16, which belongs to the kinesin-7 subfamily, has unique enzymatic properties and atomic structure within key functional regions. In this study, we focused on a novel rice plant kinesin, K23, which also belongs to the kinesin-7 subfamily. The biochemical characterization of the K23 motor domain (K23MD) was studied and compared with the rice kinesin K16 and other related kinesins. K23 exhibits ∼45-fold (1.3 Pi mol(-1) site mol(-1) s(-1)) lower microtubule-dependent ATPase activity than conventional kinesins, whereas its affinity for microtubules is comparable with conventional kinesins. MgADP-free K23 is unstable compared with the unusually stable MgADP-free K16MD. The enzymatic properties of K23MD are somewhat different from those of K16. We used a fluorescent ATP analogue 2'(3')-O-(N'-methylanthraniloyl)-ATP (mant-ATP) for the kinetic characterization of K23. The fluorescence of mant-ATP was not significantly altered during its hydrolysis by K23. However, significant fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between mant-ATP and W21 in the motor domain was observed. The kinetic study using FRET revealed that K23 has unique kinetic characteristics when compared with other kinesins.

Pollen semi-sterility1 encodes a kinesin-1-like protein important for male meiosis, anther dehiscence, and fertility in rice

In flowering plants, male meiosis produces four microspores, which develop into pollen grains and are released by anther dehiscence to pollinate female gametophytes. The molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating male meiosis in rice (Oryza sativa) remain poorly understood. Here, we describe a rice pollen semi-sterility1 (pss1) mutant, which displays reduced spikelet fertility (~40%) primarily caused by reduced pollen viability (~50% viable), and defective anther dehiscence. Map-based molecular cloning revealed that PSS1 encodes a kinesin-1-like protein. PSS1 is broadly expressed in various organs, with highest expression in panicles. Furthermore, PSS1 expression is significantly upregulated during anther development and peaks during male meiosis. The PSS1-green fluorescent protein fusion is predominantly localized in the cytoplasm of rice protoplasts. Substitution of a conserved Arg (Arg-289) to His in the PSS1 motor domain nearly abolishes its microtubule-stimulated ATPase activity. Consistent with this, lagging chromosomes and chromosomal bridges were found at anaphase I and anaphase II of male meiosis in the pss1 mutant. Together, our results suggest that PSS1 defines a novel member of the kinesin-1 family essential for male meiotic chromosomal dynamics, male gametogenesis, and anther dehiscence in rice.

Characterization of a novel rice kinesin O12 with a calponin homology domain

Genomic analysis predicted that the rice (Oryza sativa var. japonica) genome encodes at least 41 kinesin-like proteins including the novel kinesin O12, which is classified as a kinesin-14 family member. O12 has a calponin homology (CH) domain that is known as an actin-binding domain. In this study, we expressed the functional domains of O12 in Escherichia coli and determined its enzymatic characteristics compared with other kinesins. The microtubule-dependent ATPase activity of recombinant O12 containing the motor and CH domains was significantly reduced in the presence of actin. Interestingly, microtubule-dependent ATPase activity of the motor domain was also affected by actin in the absence of the CH domain. Our findings suggest that the motor activity of the rice plant-specific kinesin O12 may be regulated by actin.

Brittle Culm 12, a dual-targeting kinesin-4 protein, controls cell-cycle progression and wall properties in rice

Kinesins are encoded by a large gene family involved in many basic processes of plant development. However, the number of functionally identified kinesins in rice is very limited. Here, we report the functional characterization of Brittle Culm12 (BC12), a gene encoding a kinesin-4 protein. bc12 mutants display dwarfism resulting from a significant reduction in cell number and brittleness due to an alteration in cellulose microfibril orientation and wall composition. BC12 is expressed mainly in tissues undergoing cell division and secondary wall thickening. In vitro biochemical analyses verified BC12 as an authentic motor protein. This protein was present in both the nucleus and cytoplasm and associated with microtubule arrays during cell division. Mitotic microtubule array comparison, flow cytometric analysis and expression assays of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) complexes in root-tip cells showed that cell-cycle progression is affected in bc12 mutants. BC12 is very probably regulated by CDKA;3 based on yeast two-hybrid and microarray data. Therefore, BC12 functions as a dual-targeting kinesin protein and is implicated in cell-cycle progression, cellulose microfibril deposition and wall composition in the monocot plant rice.

SSD1, which encodes a plant-specific novel protein, controls plant elongation by regulating cell division in rice

Plant height is one of the most important traits in crop improvement. Therefore revealing the mechanism of plant elongation and controlling plant height in accordance with breeding object is important. In this study we analyzed a novel dwarf mutant, ssd1, of which phenotype is different from typical GA- or BR-related dwarf phenotype. ssd1 exhibits pleiotropic defects in elongation of various organs such as stems, roots, leaves, and flowers. ssd1 also shows abnormal cell files and shapes, which suggests defects of normal cell division in the mutant. Map-based cloning and complementation test demonstrated that the dwarf phenotype in ssd1 mutant was caused by insertion of retrotransposon in a gene, which encodes plant-specific protein with unknown biochemical function. A BLAST search revealed that SSD1-like genes exist in diverse plant species, including monocots and dicots, but not fern and moss. Our results demonstrate that SSD1 controls plant elongation by controlling cell division in higher plants.

A dominant mutation of TWISTED DWARF 1 encoding an alpha-tubulin protein causes severe dwarfism and right helical growth in rice

Dwarfism is a common type of mutation in many plant species. The pathways and factors regulating biosynthesis and signaling of several plant growth regulators have been clarified through analyses of dwarf mutants in rice, Arabidopsis, pea, and maize. However, the genetic mechanisms controlling dwarfism are not well characterized, and the causal genes underlying most dwarf mutants are still uncovered. Here, we report a dominant mutant, Twisted dwarf 1-1 (Tid1-1), showing dwarfism and twisted growth in rice. Tid1-1 exhibit right helical growth of the leaves and stem and shortening of the roots. They also show an increased number of cells in the shoot apical meristem. Cells in the leaves of Tid1-1 are often ill-shapen, possibly owing to irregular cell division. Cell elongation in roots is suppressed in the elongation zone, and cells in the root apical meristem are enlarged. Map-based cloning of TID1 revealed that it encodes an alpha-tubulin protein comprising microtubules and is an ortholog of Arabidopsis LEFTY genes. Our analysis of the Tid1-1 mutant revealed that the dynamics of microtubules affects not only anisotropic growth in both dicots and monocots, but also meristematic activity and gross plant morphology.

Fine mapping and candidate gene analysis of spd6, responsible for small panicle and dwarfness in wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.)

Identification of genes in rice that affect production and quality is necessary for improving the critical global food source. CSSL58, a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) containing a chromosome segment of Oryza rufipogon in the genetic background of the indica cultivar Teqing showed significantly smaller panicles, fewer grains per panicle, smaller grains and dwarfness compared with the recurrent parent Teqing. Genetic analysis of the BC(4)F(1) and BC(4)F(2) generations, derived from a cross between CSSL58 and Teqing, showed that these traits are controlled by the recessive gene spd6, which mapped to the short arm of chromosome 6. Fine mapping and high-resolution linkage analysis using 24,120 BC(4)F(3) plants and markers flanking spd6 were carried out, and the gene was localized to a 22.4 kb region that contains four annotated genes according to the genome sequence of japonica Nipponbare. Phenotypic evaluation of the nearly isogenic line NIL(spd6) revealed that spd6 from wild rice has pleiotropic effects on panicle number per plant, grain size, grain weight, grain number per panicle and plant height, suggesting that this gene might play an important role in the domestication of rice. The discovery of spd6 may ultimately be useful for the design and breeding of crops with high grain yield and quality.

Evaluating the microtubule cytoskeleton and its interacting proteins in monocots by mining the rice genome

BACKGROUND

Microtubules (MTs) are assembled by heterodimers of alpha- and beta-tubulins, which provide tracks for directional transport and frameworks for the spindle apparatus and the phragmoplast. MT nucleation and dynamics are regulated by components such as the gamma-tubulin complex which are conserved among eukaryotes, and other components which are unique to plants. Following remarkable progress made in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana toward revealing key components regulating MT activities, the completed rice (Oryza sativa) genome has prompted a survey of the MT cytoskeleton in this important crop as a model for monocots.

SCOPE

The rice genome contains three alpha-tubulin genes, eight beta-tubulin genes and a single gamma-tubulin gene. A functional gamma-tubulin ring complex is expected to form in rice as genes encoding all components of the complex are present. Among proteins that interact with MTs, compared with A. thaliana, rice has more genes encoding some members such as the MAP65/Ase1p/PRC1 family, but fewer for the motor kinesins, the end-binding protein EB1 and the mitotic kinase Aurora. Although most known MT-interacting factors have apparent orthologues in rice, no orthologues of arabidopsis RIC1 and MAP18 have been identified in rice. Among all proteins surveyed here, only a few have had their functions characterized by genetic means in rice. Elucidating functions of proteins of the rice MT cytoskeleton, aided by recent technical advances made in this model monocot, will greatly advance our knowledge of how monocots employ their MTs to regulate their growth and form.

Predicting the size of the progeny mapping population required to positionally clone a gene

A key frustration during positional gene cloning (map-based cloning) is that the size of the progeny mapping population is difficult to predict, because the meiotic recombination frequency varies along chromosomes. We describe a detailed methodology to improve this prediction using rice (Oryza sativa L.) as a model system. We derived and/or validated, then fine-tuned, equations that estimate the mapping population size by comparing these theoretical estimates to 41 successful positional cloning attempts. We then used each validated equation to test whether neighborhood meiotic recombination frequencies extracted from a reference RFLP map can help researchers predict the mapping population size. We developed a meiotic recombination frequency map (MRFM) for approximately 1400 marker intervals in rice and anchored each published allele onto an interval on this map. We show that neighborhood recombination frequencies (R-map, >280-kb segments) extracted from the MRFM, in conjunction with the validated formulas, better predicted the mapping population size than the genome-wide average recombination frequency (R-avg), with improved results whether the recombination frequency was calculated as genes/cM or kb/cM. Our results offer a detailed road map for better predicting mapping population size in diverse eukaryotes, but useful predictions will require robust recombination frequency maps based on sampling more progeny.