Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis of the Low-Temperature-Sensitive Albino Gene OsLTSA8 in Rice Seedlings

Chloroplasts are organelles responsible for photosynthesis in plants, providing energy for growth and development. However, the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying early chloroplast development in rice remain incompletely understood. In this study, we identified a rice seedling thermosensitive chlorophyll-deficient mutant, osltsa8, and the genetic analysis of two F₂ populations suggested that this trait may be controlled by more than one pair of alleles. Through reciprocal F₂ populations and QTL-seq technology, OsLTSA8 was mapped to the interval of 24,280,402-25,920,942 bp on rice chromosome 8, representing a novel albino gene in rice. Within the candidate gene region of OsLTSA8, there were 258 predicted genes, among which LOC_Os08g39050, LOC_Os08g39130, and LOC_Os08g40870 encode pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins. RNA-seq identified 18 DEGs (differentially expressed genes) within the candidate interval, with LOC_Os08g39420 showing homology to the pigment biosynthesis-related genes Zm00001d017656 and Sb01g000470; LOC_Os08g39430 and LOC_Os08g39850 were implicated in chlorophyll precursor synthesis. RT-qPCR was employed to assess the expression levels of LOC_Os08g39050, LOC_Os08g39130, LOC_Os08g40870, LOC_Os08g39420, LOC_Os08g39430, and LOC_Os08g39850 in the wild-type and mutant plants. Among them, the differences in the expression levels of LOC_Os08g39050 and LOC_Os08g39430 were the most significant. This study will contribute to further elucidating the molecular mechanisms of rice chloroplast development.