Natural Variation and Expression of OsCFF1 Affect the Formation of Rice Chalkiness
Liying Ma1, Qian Peng2, Qin Xie3
1Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, Hainan, China.
Rice (New York, N.Y.)
|July 2, 2026
Summary
Researchers identified a key gene, OsCFF1, controlling rice chalkiness. Gene editing OsCFF1 significantly reduced chalkiness, offering potential for breeding superior quality rice with improved grain characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Plant genetics
- Molecular biology
- Agricultural science
Background:
- Rice chalkiness is a major factor affecting grain quality, grade, and price.
- Reducing chalkiness is a primary objective for rice breeders and producers.
- Understanding the genetic basis of chalkiness is crucial for improving rice quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify genes regulating rice chalkiness formation.
- To investigate the function of the identified gene, OsCFF1, in chalkiness development.
- To explore the potential of OsCFF1 for breeding high-quality rice.
Main Methods:
- Screening of OsCFF1 alleles across 60 rice cultivars.
- Gene expression analysis during the grain-filling period.
- CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to knock out OsCFF1 in rice kernels.
- Biochemical assays to investigate OsCFF1 function.
Main Results:
- Identified OsCFF1, a gene encoding a glycosyltransferase (GT), as a key regulator of rice chalkiness.
- Found natural variations in OsCFF1 leading to reduced chalkiness.
- Observed a positive correlation between OsCFF1 expression levels and chalkiness degree.
- Demonstrated a >90% reduction in chalkiness in OsCFF1 knockout rice using CRISPR/Cas9.
- Proposed that OsCFF1 may catalyze the glycosylation of GA4.
Conclusions:
- OsCFF1 is a critical gene controlling rice chalkiness formation.
- OsCFF1 function loss significantly improves rice quality by reducing chalkiness.
- OsCFF1 presents a valuable target for developing superior quality rice varieties.
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