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Os TPS 8 controls yield‐related traits and confers salt stress tolerance in rice by enhancing suberin deposition
Author(s) -
Vishal Bhushan,
Krishnamurthy Pannaga,
Ramamoorthy Rengasamy,
Kumar Prakash P.
Publication year - 2019
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.15464
Subject(s) - complementation , mutant , abscisic acid , suberin , arabidopsis , jasmonic acid , biology , gene , biochemistry , genetically modified rice , wild type , microbiology and biotechnology , transgene , chemistry , genetically modified crops , cell wall
Summary Class I TREHALOSE ‐ PHOSPHATE ‐ SYNTHASE ( TPS ) genes affect salinity tolerance and plant development. However, the function of class II TPS genes and their underlying mechanisms of action are unknown. We report the identification and functional analysis of a rice class II TPS gene ( Os TPS 8 ). The ostps8 mutant was characterised by GC ‐ MS analysis, an abscisic acid ( ABA ) sensitivity test and by generating transgenic lines. To identify the underlying mechanism, gene expression analyses, genetic complementation and examination of suberin deposition in the roots were conducted. The ostps8 mutant showed salt sensitivity, ABA sensitivity and altered agronomic traits compared to the wild‐type ( WT ), which could be rescued upon complementation. The ds RNA i line phenocopied the mutant, while the overexpression lines exhibited enhanced salt tolerance. The ostps8 mutant showed significantly reduced soluble sugars, Casparian bands and suberin deposition in the roots compared to the WT and overexpression lines. The mutant also showed downregulation of SAPK s (rice Sn RK 2s ) and ABA ‐responsive genes. Furthermore, ostps8p UBI :: SAPK 9 rescued the salt‐sensitive phenotype of ostps8 . Our results suggest that Os TPS 8 may regulate suberin deposition in rice through ABA signalling. Additionally, SAPK 9‐mediated regulation of altered ABA ‐responsive genes helps to confer salinity tolerance. Overexpression of Os TPS 8 was adequate to confer enhanced salinity tolerance without any yield penalty, suggesting its usefulness in rice genetic improvement.