Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel brassinolide enhanced gene OsBLE1 in Oryza sativa seedlings

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant steroids essential for normal growth and development. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism by which BRs regulate the growth and development of plants, it is necessary to identify and analyze more genes that are regulated by BRs. A novel brassinolide (BL)-enhanced gene designated OsBLE1, which was originally identified by using rice (Oryza sativa L.) cDNA microarray, was cloned and characterized. Its cDNA is 598 bp long, encoding a predicted polypeptide with 81 amino acid residues. Northern blots analysis revealed that OsBLE1 expression began to increase at 6 h and reached its maximum at 12 h after BL treatment. OsBLE1 expression was most responsive to BL in lamina joint in rice seedlings; besides, IAA and GA3 also enhanced its expression. OsBLE1 expressed mainly in active tissues such as vascular bundles and root primordial. Transgenic rice expressing antisense OsBLE1 exhibits various degrees of repressed growth. Results suggest that OsBLE1 might be involved in BL-regulated growth processes in rice seedlings.