Overexpression of ACL1 (abaxially curled leaf 1) increased Bulliform cells and induced Abaxial curling of leaf blades in rice.

Understanding the genetic mechanism underlying rice leaf-shape development is crucial for optimizing rice configuration and achieving high yields; however, little is known about leaf abaxial curling. We isolated a rice transferred DNA (T-DNA) insertion mutant, BY240, which exhibited an abaxial leaf curling phenotype that co-segregated with the inserted T-DNA. The T-DNA was inserted in the promoter of a novel gene, ACL1 (Abaxially Curled Leaf 1), and led to overexpression of this gene in BY240. Overexpression of ACL1 in wild-type rice also resulted in abaxial leaf curling. ACL1 encodes a protein of 116 amino acids with no known conserved functional domains. Overexpression of ACL2, the only homolog of ACL1 in rice, also induced abaxial leaf curling. RT-PCR analysis revealed high expressions of ACLs in leaf sheaths and leaf blades, suggesting a role for these genes in leaf development. In situ hybridization revealed non-tissue-specific expression of the ACLs in the shoot apical meristem, leaf primordium, and young leaf. Histological analysis showed increased number and exaggeration of bulliform cells and expansion of epidermal cells in the leaves of BY240, which caused developmental discoordination of the abaxial and adaxial sides, resulting in abaxially curled leaves. These results revealed an important mechanism in rice leaf development and provided the genetic basis for agricultural improvement.

Distribution of T-DNA carrying a Ds element on rice chromosomes.

Over 3000 rice plants with T-DNA carrying a Ds element were constructed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediation. Using inverse PCR methodology, 590 unique right flanking sequences of T-DNA (Ds) were retrieved from independent transformants and classified into six main types on the basis of the origin of filler DNA between the right border of T-DNA and flanking sequence of rice genome. Type I sequences were the most common and showed canonical integration that T-DNA right border was followed by rice genome sequence with or without filler DNA of no more than 50 bp, while type II sequences displayed a vector-genome combination that T-DNA right border was followed by a vector fragment and then connected with rice genome sequence. The location and distribution of 340 type I and II flanking sequences on the rice chromosome were determined using BLAST analysis. The 340 Ds insertions at an average interval of 0.8 megabase (Mb) constructed a basic framework of Ds starter points on whole rice chromosomes. The frequency of T-DNA (Ds) inserted into the exons of predicted genes on chromosome one was 21%. Knowledge of T-DNA (Ds) locations on chromosomes will prove to be a useful resource for isolating rice genes by Ds transposon tagging as these Ds insertions can be used as starting lines for further mutagenesis.

[Structure and expression analysis of the gama-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene in rice].

Gama-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) is a rate-limiting enzyme in GSH biosynthesis. The GCS gene has been cloned in Arabidopsis thaliana and other plants, but has still not been reported in rice. From rice mutant population generated from T-DNA insertion, we cloned the rice GCS gene from mutant L395 by T-DNA tag cloning method, and named it OsGCS (Genbank accession No. AJ508915). Full length OsGCS cDNA clones were obtained from a rice cDNA library by the PCR method. A comparison of the genome and cDNA sequence (Genbank accession No. AJ508916) shows that OsGCS gene is composed of 15 exons and 14 introns and coding a 493-amino acid protein. The OsGCS gene is highly homologous with the AtGCS gene in the coding region but completely different in the promoter region. The putative transcription start site (TSS) confirmed by RT-PCR was located 211 bp upstream of the translation start codon "ATG". In mutant L395, a single T-DNA copy was integrated between the second intron and second exon of OsGCS gene, causing one nucleotide deletion in the second exon and two nucleotide deletions in the second intron. No significant differences were found in Cd(2+) stress tolerance, rice GCS gene expression level and GSH content between mutant L395 and Zhonghua 11. It is possible that another GCS gene on chromosome 7 might complement function of OsGCS gene on chromosome 5.