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The Rice Receptor-Like Kinases DWARF AND RUNTISH SPIKELET1 and 2 Repress Cell Death and Affect Sugar Utilization
Cui-Xia Pu1,2,3, Yong-Feng Han1,2, Shu Zhu1,2,3
1Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei 050024, P.R. China.
The Plant Cell
|January 14, 2017
Summary
Rice plants require DWARF AND RUNTISH SPIKELET1 (DRUS1) and DRUS2 receptor-like kinases for reproductive growth. These proteins maintain cell viability and are essential for fertile spikelet development.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Cell-to-cell communication is crucial for organ development during plant reproduction.
- Sensor molecules regulating developmental signals in monocots, like rice, are not well understood.
- Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) play significant roles in plant growth and development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize sensor molecules involved in reproductive growth in rice.
- To investigate the function of DWARF AND RUNTISH SPIKELET1 (DRUS1) and DRUS2 in rice development.
- To elucidate the role of DRUS1 and DRUS2 in cell viability and reproductive organ formation.
Main Methods:
- Generated and analyzed double knockout mutants (drus1-1 drus2) of rice.
- Performed phenotypic comparisons of wild-type and mutant plants with varying DRUS1/2 expression levels.
- Assessed the gibberellin pathway and investigated protease activity and sugar metabolism in mutants.
Main Results:
- The drus1-1 drus2 double mutant exhibited severe dwarfism and sterile spikelets, indicating redundant function.
- Reproductive growth is dependent on achieving a threshold level of DRUS1/2 protein.
- DRUS1 and DRUS2 maintain cell viability by inhibiting protease-mediated degradation and influencing sugar metabolism, potentially upregulating UGP2 and starch biosynthesis in anthers.
Conclusions:
- DRUS1 and DRUS2 are essential, redundantly acting receptor-like kinases for rice reproductive growth and development.
- These proteins are critical for cell survival in reproductive tissues, particularly the endothecium during anther development.
- DRUS1 and DRUS2 represent a novel function for the CrRLK1L RLK subfamily, distinct from Arabidopsis thaliana FERONIA.
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