Response of alternative splice isoforms of OsRad9 gene from Oryza sativa to environmental stress

Rad9 protein plays an important role in cell-cycle checkpoint signal transduction in human and yeast cells, but knowledge about Rad9 in plants is limited. This study reports that the Rad9 gene of rice can generate the transcript products OsRad9.1 and OsRad9.2 through alternative splicing. OsRad9.1, with all nine exons, is the main cell-cycle checkpoint protein involved in the response of rice to genotoxic stresses (ultraviolet radiation and antibiotic stress), environmental stresses (drought, salt, and heavy metal stress), and auxin stimuli (2,4-D, IAA, and IBA). Meanwhile, transcript isoform OsRad9.2, which lost exon7 and exon8, showed different preferential stimulation effects on these stresses and pollen development duration. These results might indicat that besides the monitoring and repair of DNA damage, Rad9 might involve in the development of pollen.