OsmiR167a-targeted auxin response factors modulate tiller angle via fine-tuning auxin distribution in rice

Rice tiller angle determines plant growth density and further contributes grain production. Although a few genes have been characterized to regulate tiller angle in rice, the molecular mechanism underlying the control of tiller angle via microRNA is poorly understood. Here, we report that rice tiller angle is controlled by OsmiR167a-targeted auxin response factors OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25. In the overexpression of OsMIR167a plants, the expression of OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25 was severely repressed and displayed larger tiller angle as well as the osarf12/osarf17 and osarf12/ osarf25 plants. In addition, those plants showed compromised abnormal auxin distribution and less sensitive to gravity. We also demonstrate that OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25 function redundantly and might be involved in HSFA2D and LAZY1-dependent asymmetric auxin distribution pathway to control rice tiller angle. Our results reveal that OsmiR167a represses its targets, OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25, to control rice tiller angle by fine-tuning auxin asymmetric distribution in shoots.