biostudies-literatureDeng HScience Research Excellent Youth Project of Hunan Provincial Department of EducationHunan Science and Technology Innovation ProgramNational Natural Science Foundation of China5https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10776553biostudies-literatureUnknown17(1)Chilling is a major abiotic stress affecting rice growth, development and geographical distribution. Plant vacuolar processing enzymes (VPEs) contribute to the seed storage protein processing and mediate the programmed cell death by abiotic and biotic stresses. However, little is known about the roles of plant VPEs in cold stress responses and tolerance regulation. Here, we found that OsVPE2 was a chilling-responsive gene. The early-indica rice variety Xiangzaoxian31 overexpressing OsVPE2 was more sensitive to chilling stress, whereas the OsVPE2-knockout mutants generated by the CRISPR-Cas9 technology exhibited significantly enhanced chilling tolerance at the seedling stage without causing yield loss. Deficiency of OsVPE2 reduces relative electrolyte leakage, accumulation of toxic compoundRice (New York, N.Y.)OsVPE2, a Member of Vacuolar Processing Enzyme Family, Decreases Chilling Tolerance of Rice.PMC107765532021NK10012021NK10113210025721B02012021JC0007Zhang GLiu XLu XXiao YCao SWang FTang WDeng HfalseOsVPE2, a Member of Vacuolar Processing Enzyme Family, Decreases Chilling Tolerance of Rice.Chilling is a major abiotic stress affecting rice growth, development and geographical distribution. Plant vacuolar processing enzymes (VPEs) contribute to the seed storage protein processing and mediate the programmed cell death by abiotic and biotic stresses. However, little is known about the roles of plant VPEs in cold stress responses and tolerance regulation. Here, we found that OsVPE2 was a chilling-responsive gene. The early-indica rice variety Xiangzaoxian31 overexpressing OsVPE2 was more sensitive to chilling stress, whereas the OsVPE2-knockout mutants generated by the CRISPR-Cas9 technology exhibited significantly enhanced chilling tolerance at the seedling stage without causing yield loss. Deficiency of OsVPE2 reduces relative electrolyte leakage, accumulation of toxic compound2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jan2025-04-21T21:38:43.844Z2025-04-21T21:38:43.844ZS-EPMC107765533819416610.1186/s12284-023-00682-9