The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Iron Deficiency Responses in Rice

Iron (Fe) is an essential element required for plant growth and development. Under Fe-deficientconditions, plants have developed two distinct strategies (designated as strategy I and II) to acquire Fe from soil. As a graminaceous species, rice is not a typical strategy II plant, as it not only synthesizes DMA (2'-deoxymugineic acid) in roots to chelate Fe³⁺ but also acquires Fe²⁺ through transporters OsIRT1 and OsIRT2. During the synthesis of DMA in rice, there are three sequential enzymatic reactions catalyzed by enzymes NAS (nicotianamine synthase), NAAT (nicotianamine aminotransferase), and DMAS (deoxymugineic acid synthase). Many transporters required for Fe uptake from the rhizosphere and internal translocation have also been identified in rice. In addition, the signaling networks composed of various transcription factors (such as IDEF1, IDEF2, and members of the bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) family), phytohormones, and signaling molecules are demonstrated to regulate Fe uptake and translocation. This knowledge greatly contributes to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying iron deficiency responses in rice.