ABA-mediated regulation of rice grain quality and seed dormancy via the NF-YB1-SLRL2-bHLH144 Module

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 4493 - 16
• Main Authors: Wang, Jin-Dong, Wang, Jing, Huang, Li-Chun, Kan, Li-Jun, Wang, Chu-Xin, Xiong, Min, Zhou, Peng, Zhou, Li-Hui, Chen, Chen, Zhao, Dong-Sheng, Fan, Xiao-Lei, Zhang, Chang-Quan, Zhou, Yong, Zhang, Lin, Liu, Qiao-Quan, Li, Qian-Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 27.05.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 13; 13/95; 14; 14/19; 38; 38/1; 38/111; 38/22; 38/35; 38/39; 38/44; 38/77; 38/88; 631/449/1659; 631/449/2675; 631/449/447/8; Abscisic acid; Abscisic Acid - metabolism; Amylose; Amylose - metabolism; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - genetics; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - metabolism; CCAAT-Binding Factor - genetics; CCAAT-Binding Factor - metabolism; Dormancy; Edible Grain - genetics; Edible Grain - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Humanities and Social Sciences; Modules; multidisciplinary; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - metabolism; Plant Dormancy - genetics; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant stress; Plants, Genetically Modified; Regulation; Rice; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Seeds; Seeds - growth & development; Seeds - metabolism; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48760-w

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in promoting plant stress resistance and seed dormancy. However, how ABA regulates rice quality remains unclear. This study identifies a key transcription factor SLR1-like2 (SLRL2), which mediates the ABA-regulated amylose content (AC) of rice. Mechanistically, SLRL2 interacts with NF-YB1 to co-regulate Wx , a determinant of AC and rice quality. In contrast to SLR1, SLRL2 is ABA inducible but insensitive to GA. In addition, SLRL2 exhibits DNA-binding activity and directly regulates the expression of Wx , bHLH144 and MFT2 . SLRL2 competes with NF-YC12 for interaction with NF-YB1. NF-YB1 also directly represses SLRL2 transcription. Genetic validation supports that SLRL2 functions downstream of NF-YB1 and bHLH144 in regulating rice AC. Thus, an NF-YB1-SLRL2-bHLH144 regulatory module is successfully revealed. Furthermore, SLRL2 regulates rice dormancy by modulating the expression of MFT2 . In conclusion, this study revealed an ABA-responsive regulatory cascade that functions in both rice quality and seed dormancy. This study revealed an NF-YB1-SLRL2-bHLH144 regulatory module, centered on a key transcription factor SLRL2, that mediates the ABA-regulated amylose content in rice. Furthermore, SLRL2 is also involved in the regulation of rice dormancy