Spatiotemporal Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Nutrient Transport Dynamics in Rice Nodes and Roots During...

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Efficient nutrient and photoassimilate allocation is crucial for rice grain development.
• Transcriptional regulation of nutrient transport during rice reproduction is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the molecular basis of nutrient transport and allocation in rice during reproductive stages.
• To create a spatiotemporal atlas of nutrient transporter gene expression.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) across spatial (nodes, roots, other tissues) and temporal (reproductive stages) dimensions.
• Comparative analysis of gene expression in different tissues and developmental stages.

Main Results:

• Identified stage-specific gene expression patterns in rice nodes, with grain filling showing induced transporters for minerals (e.g., OsYSL2, OsZIP3) and carbohydrates (e.g., OsSWEET13, OsSWEET14).
• Revealed tissue-specific regulatory networks for nitrate and phosphate transporters in nodes and roots during grain filling.
• Highlighted root transporter activity (e.g., OsNRAMP5, OsLsi1) contributing to grain metal accumulation.

Conclusions:

• Established a spatiotemporal atlas of nutrient transporter gene activity during rice reproductive development.
• Identified candidate genes regulating nutrient allocation and toxic metal uptake.
• Provided insights for improving rice nutrient use efficiency and reducing grain metal contamination.