title: SLG controls grain size and leaf angle by modulating brassinosteroid homeostasis in rice.
abstract: Grain size and leaf angle are two important traits determining grain yield in rice. However, the mechanisms regulating the two traits remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized a rice gain-of-function mutant, slender grain Dominant (slg-D), which exhibited longer and narrower grains and larger leaf angles, similar to plants with elevated brassinosteroid (BR) levels or strengthened BR signaling. The increased cell length is responsible for the mutant phenotypes in slg-D We demonstrated that the phenotype of slg-D is caused by enhanced expression of SLG, a BAHD acyltransferase-like protein gene. SLG is preferentially expressed in young panicles and lamina joints, implying its role in controlling cell growth in those two tissues. slg-D was restored to wild type by treatment with brassinazole, an inhibitor of BR biosynthesis. Overexpression of SLG in d11-2 (deficient in BR synthesis) and d61-1 (deficient in BR signaling) did not change the existing phenotypes. The slg-D plants had elevated BR contents and, accordingly, expression of BR-related genes was changed in a manner similar to BR treatment. Moreover, SLG RNAi plants displayed mild BR-deficient phenotypes including shorter grains, smaller leaf angles, and compact semi-dwarf plant types. The in vitro biochemical assays and transgenic approaches collectively demonstrated that SLG functions as homomers. Taken together, we conclude that SLG is an important regulator in BR homeostasis and that manipulation of SLG expression to an optimal level may provide a way to develop an ideal plant type.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Chuanyin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Chunming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeehee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Shengzhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Jinlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoman
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Xiuping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Key Facility for Crop Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Fuqing
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Terzaghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China wanjm@njau.edu.cn wanjianmin@caas.cn jiangling@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China National Key Facility for Crop Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China wanjm@njau.edu.cn wanjianmin@caas.cn jiangling@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D060406:Brassinosteroids / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012275:Oryza / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012639:Seeds / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D060406:Brassinosteroids; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: BR; SLG.; grain size; homomer; leaf angle; rice