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OsGCD1 is essential for rice fertility and required for embryo dorsal‐ventral pattern formation and endosperm development
Author(s) -
Huang Xiaorong,
Peng Xiongbo,
Sun MengXiang
Publication year - 2017
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.14625
Subject(s) - endosperm , biology , embryo , genetics , phenotype , mutant , botany , sterility , microbiology and biotechnology , gene
Summary Rice fertility is critical for rice reproduction and is thus a focus of interest. Most studies have addressed male sterility and its relation to rice production. The mechanisms of regulation of embryogenesis and endosperm development are essential for rice reproduction, but remain largely unknown. Here, we report a functional analysis of the rice gene Os GCD 1 , which encodes a highly conserved homolog of Arabidopsis GCD 1 ( GAMETE CELLS DEFECTIVE 1). Os GCD 1 mutants were generated using the CRISPR /Cas9 system and subjected to functional analysis. The homozygote mutants cannot be obtained, whereas heterozygotes showed altered phenotypes. In the majority of aborted seeds, the endosperm nucleus divided a limited number of times. The free nuclei were distributed only at the micropylar end of embryo sacs, and their oriented positioning was blocked. In addition, aleurone differentiation was interrupted. The embryo developed slowly, and pattern formation, particularly the dorsal‐ventral pattern and symmetry establishment, of embryos was disturbed. Thus, the embryos showed various morphological and structural dysplasias. Our findings reveal that Os GCD 1 is essential for rice fertility and is required for dorsal‐ventral pattern formation and endosperm free nucleus positioning, suggesting a critical role in sexual reproduction of both monocotyledon and dicotyledon plants.