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Rice tocopherol deficiency 1 encodes a homogentisate phytyltransferase essential for tocopherol biosynthesis and plant development in rice

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Abstract

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RTD1 encodes a homogentisate phytyltransferase catalyzing a key step in rice tocopherol biosynthesis, confers cold tolerance and regulates rice development by affecting the accumulation of DELLA protein SLENDER RICE1.

Abstract

Tocopherols are one of the most important lipid-soluble antioxidants having indispensable roles in living organisms. The physiological functions of tocopherols have been comprehensively characterized in animals and artificial membranes. However, genetic and molecular functions of tocopherols in plants are less understood. This study aimed to isolate a tocopherol-deficient mutant rtd1 in rice. The rtd1 mutant showed overall growth retardation throughout the growth period. Most of the agronomic traits were impaired in rtd1. Map-based cloning revealed that the RTD1 gene encoded a homogentisate phytyltransferase, a key enzyme catalyzing the committed step in tocopherol biosynthesis. RTD1 was preferentially expressed in green leafy tissues, and the protein was located in chloroplasts. Cold tolerance was found to be reduced in rtd1. The cold-related C-repeat-binding factor (CBF)/dehydration-responsive element-binding protein 1 (DREB1) genes were significantly upregulated in rtd1 under natural growth conditions. Moreover, rtd1 exhibited a reduced response to gibberellin (GA).The transcript and protein levels of DELLA protein-coding gene SLENDER RICE 1 (SLR1) in rice was increased in rtd1. However, the GA content was not changed, suggesting a transcriptional, not posttranslational, regulation of SLR1. These findings implied that tocopherols play important roles in regulating rice growth and development.

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Abbreviations

CBF:

C-repeat-binding factor

DMPBQ:

2,3-Dimethyl-5-phytyl-1,4-benzoquinone

DREB1:

Dehydration-responsive element-binding protein 1

GAs:

Gibberellins

GFP:

Green fluorescent protein

GGDP:

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate

GID1:

Gibberellin-insensitive dwarf1

GID2:

Gibberellin-insensitive dwarf2

HGA:

Homogentisic acid

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

HPP:

p-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate

HPT:

Homogentisate phytyltransferase

MPBQ:

2-Methyl-6-phytylbenzoquinol

PDP:

Phytyl diphosphate

PUFAs:

Polyunsaturated fatty acids

RNAi:

RNA interference

SLR1:

SLENDER RICE1

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31401036), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20161308), the Jiangsu Independent Innovation Project, China (CX(14)5005), and the Basal Research Fund of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China (ZX(15)4015).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Provincial Key Laboratory of Agrobiology, Institute of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences/The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Germplasm, Nanjing, 210014, China

    Yunhui Zhang, Xiaomei Zhu, Yan Wu, Suobing Zhang, Haiyuan Chen, Jing Ling, Yingjie Wang & Xianwen Fang

  2. Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Jiangsu Coastal Areas, Yancheng, 224002, China

    Kai Liu

  3. Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China

    Yunhui Zhang & Xianwen Fang

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  1. Yunhui Zhang
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  2. Kai Liu
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  3. Xiaomei Zhu
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  4. Yan Wu
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Communicated by Da-Bing Zhang.

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Zhang, Y., Liu, K., Zhu, X. et al. Rice tocopherol deficiency 1 encodes a homogentisate phytyltransferase essential for tocopherol biosynthesis and plant development in rice. Plant Cell Rep 37, 775–787 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-018-2266-9

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