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O s FIE 2 plays an essential role in the regulation of rice vegetative and reproductive development
Author(s) -
Li Shisheng,
Zhou Bing,
Peng Xiongbo,
Kuang Quan,
Huang Xiaolong,
Yao Jialing,
Du Bo,
Sun MengXiang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/nph.12472
Subject(s) - endosperm , biology , gene , oryza sativa , microbiology and biotechnology , chromatin , embryo , ploidy , rna , botany , genetics
Summary Polycomb group ( P c G ) proteins are gene repressors that help to maintain cellular identity during development via chromatin remodeling. Fertilization‐independent endosperm ( FIE ), a member of the P c G complex, operates extensively in plant development, but its role in rice has not been fully investigated to date. We report the isolation and characterization of a P c G member in rice, which was designated O s FIE 2 for O ryza sativa F ertilization‐ I ndependent E ndosperm 2. O s FIE 2 is a single‐copy gene in the rice genome and shows a universal expression pattern. The O s FIE 2 RNA i lines displayed pleiotropic phenotypes in vegetative and reproductive organ generation. In unfertilized lines, endosperm formation could be triggered without embryo formation, which indicates that FIE is indeed involved in the suppression of autonomous endosperm development in rice. Furthermore, lateral root generation was promoted early in the roots of O s FIE 2 RNA i lines, whereas the primary root was premature and highly differentiated. As the root tip stem cell differentiated, QHB , the gene required for stem cell maintenance in the quiescent center, was down‐regulated. Our data suggest that the O s FIE 2– P c G complex is vital for rice reproduction and endosperm formation. Its role in stem cell maintenance suggests that the gene is functionally conserved in plants as well as animals.