OsMYB103L, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor, influences leaf rolling and mechanical strength in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

• Published in: BMC plant biology Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 158
• Main Authors: Yang, Chunhua, Li, Dayong, Liu, Xue, Ji, Chengjun, Hao, Lili, Zhao, Xianfeng, Li, Xiaobing, Chen, Caiyan, Cheng, Zhukuan, Zhu, Lihuang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 06.06.2014; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Analysis; Biomechanical Phenomena; Cellulose; Cellulose - metabolism; Corn; Data analysis; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Developmental biology; DNA; DNA binding proteins; Down-Regulation - genetics; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Genes, Plant; Genetic aspects; Genetic research; Genetics; Genomes; Genomics; Genotype & phenotype; Glucosyltransferases - genetics; Glucosyltransferases - metabolism; Green Fluorescent Proteins - metabolism; Molecular Sequence Data; Organ Specificity - genetics; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - metabolism; Oryza - physiology; Oryza sativa; Phenotype; Physiological aspects; Plant Leaves - physiology; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants, Genetically Modified; Protein Transport; Proteins; Rice; Sequence Alignment; Studies; Subcellular Fractions - metabolism; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - chemistry; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transcriptional Activation; Up-Regulation - genetics
• ISSN: 1471-2229; 1471-2229
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-14-158

The shape of grass leaves possesses great value in both agronomy and developmental biology research. Leaf rolling is one of the important traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.) breeding. MYB transcription factors are one of the largest gene families and have important roles in plant development, metabolism and stress responses. However, little is known about their functions in rice. In this study, we report the functional characterization of a rice gene, OsMYB103L, which encodes an R2R3-MYB transcription factor. OsMYB103L was localized in the nucleus with transactivation activity. Overexpression of OsMYB103L in rice resulted in a rolled leaf phenotype. Further analyses showed that expression levels of several cellulose synthase genes (CESAs) were significantly increased, as was the cellulose content in OsMYB103L overexpressing lines. Knockdown of OsMYB103L by RNA interference led to a decreased level of cellulose content and reduced mechanical strength in leaves. Meanwhile, the expression levels of several CESA genes were decreased in these knockdown lines. These findings suggest that OsMYB103L may target CESA genes for regulation of cellulose synthesis and could potentially be engineered for desirable leaf shape and mechanical strength in rice.