A Novel Kinesin 13 Protein Regulating Rice Seed Length

The causal gene of a novel small and round seed mutant phenotype (srs3) in rice was identified by map-based cloning and named the SRS3 gene. The SRS3 gene was grouped as a member of the kinesin 13 subfamily. The SRS3 gene codes for a protein of 819 amino acids that contains a kinesin motor domain and a coiled-coil structure. Using scanning electron microscopy, we determined that the cell length of seeds in the longitudinal direction in srs3 is shorter than that in the wild type. The number of cells of seeds in the longitudinal direction in srs3 was not very different from that in the wild type. The result suggests that the small and round seed phenotype of srs3 is due to a reduction in cell length of seeds in the longitudinal direction. The SRS3 protein, which is found in the crude microsomal fraction, is highly expressed in developing organs.