Enhanced sustainable green revolution yield via nitrogen-responsive chromatin modulation in rice
Kun Wu1, Shuansuo Wang1, Wenzhen Song1,2
1State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Abstract:
Because environmentally degrading inorganic fertilizer use underlies current worldwide cereal yields, future agricultural sustainability demands enhanced nitrogen use efficiency. We found that genome-wide promotion of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) enables nitrogen-induced stimulation of rice tillering: APETALA2-domain transcription factor NGR5 (NITROGEN-MEDIATED TILLER GROWTH RESPONSE 5) facilitates nitrogen-dependent recruitment of polycomb repressive complex 2 to repress branching-inhibitory genes via H3K27me3 modification. NGR5 is a target of gibberellin receptor GIBBERELLIN INSENSITIVE DWARF1 (GID1)-promoted proteasomal destruction. DELLA proteins (characterized by the presence of a conserved aspartate-glutamate-leucine-leucine-alanine motif) competitively inhibit the GID1-NGR5 interaction and explain increased tillering of green revolution varieties. Increased NGR5 activity consequently uncouples tillering from nitrogen regulation, boosting rice yield at low nitrogen fertilization levels. NGR5 thus enables enhanced nitrogen use efficiency for improved future agricultural sustainability and food security.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
Transgenic Plants
The first-ever transgenic plant was a tobacco plant developed in 1983 that showed resistance against the tobacco mosaic virus. Since then, many transgenic plants have been developed and commercialized for improving the agricultural, ornamental, and horticultural value of a crop plant. Transgenic...
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Stringent Response in E. coli
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation


