title: A novel rice gene, NRR responds to macronutrient deficiency and regulates root growth.
abstract: To better understand the response of rice to nutrient stress, we have taken a systematic approach to identify rice genes that respond to deficiency of macronutrients and affect rice growth. We report here the expression and biological functions of a previously uncharacterized rice gene that we have named NRR (nutrition response and root growth). NRR is alternatively spliced, producing two 5'-coterminal transcripts, NRRa and NRRb, encoding two proteins of 308 and 223 aa, respectively. Compared to NRRb, NRRa possesses an additional CCT domain at the C-terminus. Expression of NRR in rice seedling roots was significantly influenced by deficiency of macronutrients. Knock-down of expression of NRRa or NRRb by RNA interference resulted in enhanced rice root growth. By contrast, overexpression of NRRa in rice exhibited significantly retarded root growth. These results revealed that both NRRa and NRRb played negative regulatory roles in rice root growth. Our findings suggest that NRRa and NRRb, acting as the key components, modulate the rice root architecture with the availability of macronutrients.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Man
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yong-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yun-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ya-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Zong-Xiu
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Rong-Xiang
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Xiao-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000172:deficiency; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000172:deficiency*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen; D011188:Potassium