Rice UCL8, a plantacyanin gene targeted by miR408, regulates fertility by controlling pollen tube germination and growth.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pollen tube formation and growth are crucial steps that lead to seed production. Despite the importance of pollen tube growth, the molecular mechanisms implicated in its spatial and temporal control are not fully known. In this study, we found an uclacyanin gene, OsUCL8, that regulates pollen intine deposition and pollen tube growth.

Findings

The overexpression of OsUCL8 led to a striking irregularity in pollen tube growth and pollination and thus affected the seed setting rate in rice; many pollen tubes appeared to lose the ability to grow directly into the style. Conversely, plants with OsUCL8 knocked out and plants overexpressing miR408, a negative regulator of OsUCL8, had vigorous pollens with a higher germination rate. We further demonstrated that OsUCL8 main

SUBMITTER: Zhang F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6242803 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature