title: RNAi-mediated silencing of OsGEN-L (OsGEN-like), a new member of the RAD2/XPG nuclease family, causes male sterility by defect of microspore development in rice.
abstract: We have cloned a new member of the RAD2/XPG nuclease family, OsGEN-L (OsGEN-like), from rice (Oryza sativa L.). OsGEN-L possesses two domains, the N- and I-regions, that are conserved in the RAD2/XPG nuclease family. Database searches and phylogenetic analyses revealed that OsGEN-L belongs to class 4 of the RAD2/XPG nuclease family, and OsGEN-L homologs were found in animals and higher plants. To elucidate the function of OsGEN-L, we generated rice OsGEN-L-RNAi transgenic plants in which OsGEN-L expression was silenced. Most of the OsGEN-L-RNAi plants displayed low fertility, and some of them were male-sterile. OsGEN-L-RNAi plants lacked mature pollen, resulting from a defect in early microspore development. A OsGEN-L-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein was localized in the nucleus, and the OsGEN-L promoter was specifically active in the anthers. Furthermore, a recombinant OsGEN-L protein possessed flap endonuclease activity and both single-stranded and double-stranded DNA-binding activities. Our results suggest that OsGEN-L plays an essential role in DNA metabolism required for early microspore development in rice.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Takayama 8916-5, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192 Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moritoh
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Mihoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.forename: Hisaji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
mesh_terms: D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D045585:Flap Endonucleases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases; D045585:Flap Endonucleases; D012260:Ribonucleases