title: The WRKY transcription factor OsWRKY78 regulates stem elongation and seed development in rice.
abstract: WRKY proteins are a large super family of transcriptional regulators primarily involved in various plant physiological programs. In present study, the expression profile and putative function of the WRKY transcriptional factor, WRKY78, in rice were identified. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that OsWRKY78 transcript was most abundant in elongating stems though its expression was detected in all the tested organs. The expression profiles were further confirmed by using promoter-GUS analysis in transgenic rice. OsWRKY78::GFP fusion gene transient expression analysis demonstrated that OsWRKY78 targeted to the nuclei of onion epidermal cell. Furthermore, OsWRKY78 RNAi and overexpression transgenic rice lines were generated. Transgenic plants with OsWRKY78 overexpression exhibited a phenotype identical to the wild type, whereas inhibition of OsWRKY78 expression resulted in a semi-dwarf and small kernel phenotype due to reduced cell length in transgenic plants. In addition, a T-DNA insertion mutant line oswrky78 was identified and a phenotype similar to that of RNAi plants was also observed. Grain quality analysis data showed no significant differences, with the exception of minor changes in endosperm starch crystal structure in RNAi plants. Taken together, these results suggest that OsWRKY78 may acts as a stem elongation and seed development regulator in rice.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu 225009, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Quan
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Heng-Xiu
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ming-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Qiao-Quan
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D056625:Endosperm / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors