title: Coordinated regulation of photosynthesis in rice increases yield and tolerance to environmental stress.
abstract: Plants capture solar energy and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis, which is the primary component of crop yield, and needs to be increased considerably to meet the growing global demand for food. Environmental stresses, which are increasing with climate change, adversely affect photosynthetic carbon metabolism (PCM) and limit yield of cereals such as rice (Oryza sativa) that feeds half the world. To study the regulation of photosynthesis, we developed a rice gene regulatory network and identified a transcription factor HYR (HIGHER YIELD RICE) associated with PCM, which on expression in rice enhances photosynthesis under multiple environmental conditions, determining a morpho-physiological programme leading to higher grain yield under normal, drought and high-temperature stress conditions. We show HYR is a master regulator, directly activating photosynthesis genes, cascades of transcription factors and other downstream genes involved in PCM and yield stability under drought and high-temperature environmental stress conditions.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Madana M R
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ambavaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA.
authors.forename: Supratim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.affiliation: Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Arjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA.
authors.forename: Venkategowda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramegowda
authors.affiliation: Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Utlwang
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Batlang
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA.
authors.forename: Lutfor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
authors.forename: Niranjan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baisakh
authors.affiliation: 1] Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA [2] Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D018533:Biomass; D055864:Droughts; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000254:growth & development; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006358:Hot Temperature; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors