SOP6调控水稻株型的分子机理研究

Plant architecture is of major agronomic importance as it determines rice yield. Oryza rufipugen shows a prostrate growth habit with more tillers, prohibiting dense plantings. Such undesirable plant architecture was targeted and continuously selected against by ancient humans, which gradually resulted in the more desirable plant architecture of domesticated rice (O. sativa). Domesticated rice shows relatively erect growth (a narrow tiller angle) and fewer tillers, which allows for effective high-yield cultivation. We previously demonstrated that the PROG1 gene controls aspects of wild-rice plant architecture, including tiller angle and number of tillers. To identify other components in the PROG1 pathway, we initiated a genetic screen for modifiers of a near-isogenic line, NIL(PROG1), in plant architecture. From this screen, we identified several suppressors of PROG1 (sop) from ethyl methanesulfonate–treated populations of NIL(PROG1). One of these mutants, sop6, exhibits erect growth habit. We showed that SOP6 is a previously unreported subtilase (subtilisin-like protease). Based on these results, we will study its gene function, molecular mechanism, the relationship between SOP6 and PROG1, and find potentially valuable alleles. This project may shade light on understanding of the regulatory network of plant architecture in rice.

株型是影响水稻产量的重要因素。野生稻具有匍匐生长和分蘖过多的株型特征，不利于密植栽培。在水稻驯化过程中，人类通过对自然变异位点的人工选择逐渐把野生稻的株型驯化成直立生长和分蘖适当的栽培稻株型。我们前期的研究表明，PROG1是决定野生稻匍匐生长的关键基因。为解析PROG1的遗传调控网络，我们用EMS诱变PROG1的近等基因系，获得了一批株型回复直立生长的突变体。我们对其中一个突变体suppresser of PROG1 6 (sop6)进行了图位克隆，发现SOP6编码一个功能未知的类枯草杆菌蛋白酶。在本项目中，我们拟采用分子生物学、生物化学、生物信息学等方法，深入开展SOP6的功能研究，阐明SOP6的分子机制，探讨其与PROG1的关系，发掘有利基因位点，从而拓展水稻株型调控的遗传网络。