The indica nitrate reductase gene OsNR2 allele enhances rice yield potential and nitrogen use efficiency.

ABSTRACT: The indica and japonica rice (Oryza sativa) subspecies differ in nitrate (NO₃^-) assimilation capacity and nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE). Here, we show that a major component of this difference is conferred by allelic variation at OsNR2, a gene encoding a NADH/NADPH-dependent NO₃^- reductase (NR). Selection-driven allelic divergence has resulted in variant indica and japonica OsNR2 alleles encoding structurally distinct OsNR2 proteins, with indica OsNR2 exhibiting greater NR activity. Indica OsNR2 also promotes NO₃^- uptake via feed-forward interaction with OsNRT1.1B, a gene encoding a NO₃^- uptake transporter. These properties enable indica OsNR2 to confer increased effective tiller number, grain yield

SUBMITTER: Gao Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6858341 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature