title: Rice zinc finger protein DST enhances grain production through controlling Gn1a/OsCKX2 expression.
abstract: The phytohormone cytokinin (CK) positively regulates the activity and function of the shoot apical meristem (SAM), which is a major parameter determining seed production. The rice (Oryza sativa L.) Gn1a/OsCKX2 (Grain number 1a/Cytokinin oxidase 2) gene, which encodes a cytokinin oxidase, has been identified as a major quantitative trait locus contributing to grain number improvement in rice breeding practice. However, the molecular mechanism of how the expression of OsCKX2 is regulated in planta remains elusive. Here, we report that the zinc finger transcription factor DROUGHT AND SALT TOLERANCE (DST) directly regulates OsCKX2 expression in the reproductive meristem. DST-directed expression of OsCKX2 regulates CK accumulation in the SAM and, therefore, controls the number of the reproductive organs. We identify that DST(reg1), a semidominant allele of the DST gene, perturbs DST-directed regulation of OsCKX2 expression and elevates CK levels in the reproductive SAM, leading to increased meristem activity, enhanced panicle branching, and a consequent increase of grain number. Importantly, the DST(reg1) allele provides an approach to pyramid the Gn1a-dependent and Gn1a-independent effects on grain production. Our study reveals that, as a unique regulator of reproductive meristem activity, DST may be explored to facilitate the genetic enhancement of grain production in rice and other small grain cereals.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology,  Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101,  China.
authors: Shuyu
authors: S
authors: Li
authors: Bingran
authors: B
authors: Zhao
authors: Dingyang
authors: D
authors: Yuan
authors: Meijuan
authors: M
authors: Duan
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Qian
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Tang
authors: Bao
authors: B
authors: Wang
authors: Xiaoqiang
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Jiaqiang
authors: J
authors: Sun
authors: Zhao
authors: Z
authors: Liu
authors: Yu-Qi
authors: YQ
authors: Feng
authors: Longping
authors: L
authors: Yuan
authors: Chuanyou
authors: C
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D012275:Oryza / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins
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