Rice SIZ1, a SUMO E3 ligase, controls spikelet fertility through regulation of anther dehiscence

• Sumoylation, a post-translational modification, has important functions in both animals and plants. However, the biological function of the SUMO E3 ligase, SIZ1, in rice (Oryza sativa) is still under investigation. • In this study, we employed two different genetic approaches, the use of siz1 T-DNA mutant and SIZ1-RNAi transgenic plants, to characterize the function of rice SIZ1. • Genetic results revealed the co-segregation of single T-DNA insertional recessive mutation with the observed phenotypes in siz1. In addition to showing reduced plant height, tiller number and seed set percentage, both the siz1 mutant and SIZ1-RNAi transgenic plants showed obvious defects in anther dehiscence, but not pollen viability. The anther indehiscence in siz1 was probably a result of defects in endothecium development before anthesis. Interestingly, rice orthologs of AtIRX and ZmMADS2, which are essential for endothecium development during anther dehiscence, were significantly down-regulated in siz1. Compared with the wild-type, the sumoylation profile of high-molecular-weight proteins in mature spikelets was reduced significantly in siz1 and the SIZ1-RNAi line with notably reduced SIZ1 expression. The nuclear localization signal located in the SIZ1 C-terminus was sufficient for its nuclear targeting in bombarded onion epidermis. • The results suggest the functional role of SIZ1, a SUMO E3 ligase, in regulating rice anther dehiscence.