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Updated: May 8, 2026
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Breeding by Design for Functional Rice with Genome Editing Technologies
Published on: January 3, 2025
The ELD4-OsPRR95 module represses OsMADS51 in regulating rice heading date.
Xin Jin1, Wen Li2, Xinyue Zhang1
1State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
The Plant Cell
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Researchers identified a rice gene, EARLY HEADING AT LONG DAY 4 (ELD4), that controls flowering time. The ELD4-OsPRR95 gene module represses OsMADS51, influencing heading date and rice adaptability.
Area of Science:
- Plant genetics and molecular biology
- Agronomy and crop science
Background:
- Heading date is a critical agronomic trait influencing rice yield and adaptability.
- Understanding the genetic regulation of heading date is essential for crop improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize genes controlling early heading in rice.
- To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying heading date regulation.
Main Methods:
- Mutant identification and gene cloning using the MutMap method.
- CRISPR/Cas9 and RNA interference for gene function analysis.
- Biochemical assays (electrophoretic mobility shift, luciferase complementation) to study protein interactions.
Main Results:
- A novel gene, EARLY HEADING AT LONG DAY 4 (ELD4), was identified as a key regulator of heading date.
- ELD4 interacts with OsPRR95 to form a module that directly represses OsMADS51.
- OsPRR95 exhibits geographic population structure, indicating selection for regional adaptation.
Conclusions:
- The ELD4-OsPRR95 module plays a crucial role in repressing OsMADS51 to control rice flowering time.
- Genetic variation in OsPRR95 has contributed to the regional adaptation of rice varieties.
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