Bioinformatics and Preliminary Functional Analysis of OsPP2C61

Area of Science:

• Plant molecular biology
• Plant signaling pathways
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Protein phosphatase 2Cs (PP2Cs) are crucial for plant signal transduction.
• The PP2C.D subfamily regulates cell elongation and stress adaptation via auxin signaling.
• OsPP2C61 in rice is a PP2C member with unclear molecular characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a preliminary characterization of the rice OsPP2C61 gene.
• To elucidate its molecular features, expression patterns, and subcellular localization.
• To establish a foundation for understanding its role in rice.

Main Methods:

• Integrated bioinformatics analysis
• Spatiotemporal expression profiling
• Subcellular localization experiments in *Nicotiana benthamiana*

Main Results:

• OsPP2C61 encodes a hydrophilic, basic protein with a canonical PP2C fold.
• Phylogenetic analysis places it in the PP2C.D clade with conserved motifs.
• It is highly expressed in roots and localizes to the nucleus and plasma membrane.
• Promoter analysis reveals ABA, MeJA, and stress-responsive elements.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first comprehensive characterization of OsPP2C61.
• OsPP2C61 is a potential candidate gene for enhancing rice improvement.
• Further mechanistic studies on OsPP2C61 are warranted.