An asparagine synthetase gene ASN1 regulates rice root development
The plant root system is crucial for water and nutrient acquisition from soil. Amino acids are known to play pivotal roles in regulating root developmental processes. In this study, we characterized the root phenotype of Asparagine Synthetase 1 (ASN1) mutants through histological analysis, revealing that the shortened root morphology resulted from reduced cell proliferation rates in the root apical meristem. Transcriptomic profiling identified substantial perturbations in phytohormone signaling pathways, with jasmonic acid (JA) metabolism exhibiting the most significant alterations in ASN1 mutants. Remarkably, exogenous JA application restored the mutant root phenotype to wild type (WT) levels. These findings elucidate the functional interplay between ASN1 activity and root architecture determination, demonstrating its regulatory role in root elongation through JA homeostasis.