Chromatin interacting factor OsVIL2 increases biomass and rice grain yield

• Published in: Plant biotechnology journal 2019-01, Vol.17 (1), p.178-187
• Main Authors: Yang, Jungil, Cho, Lae‐Hyeon, Yoon, Jinmi, Yoon, Hyeryung, Wai, Antt Htet, Hong, Woo‐Jong, Han, Muho, Sakakibara, Hitoshi, Liang, Wanqi, Jung, Ki‐Hong, Jeon, Jong‐Seong, Koh, Hee‐Jong, Zhang, Dabing, An, Gynheung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy; Biodegradation; Biomass; Chromatin; Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; chromatin interacting factor; Comparative analysis; Crop yield; Crop yields; Cytokinins; Edible Grain - genetics; Edible Grain - growth & development; Edible Grain - metabolism; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - genetics; Gene sequencing; Genes; Grain; grain yield; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Homeodomain Proteins - metabolism; Homeodomain Proteins - physiology; Immunoprecipitation; Mutation; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - growth & development; Oryza - metabolism; Oryza sativa; OsCKX2; OsVIL2; Plant biomass; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Proteins - physiology; Plants (botany); Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; Ribonucleic acid; Rice; RNA; RNA sequencing; Sequence Analysis, RNA
• ISSN: 1467-7644; 1467-7652
• DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12956

Summary Grain number is an important agronomic trait. We investigated the roles of chromatin interacting factor Oryza sativa VIN3‐LIKE 2 (OsVIL2), which controls plant biomass and yield in rice. Mutations in OsVIL2 led to shorter plants and fewer grains whereas its overexpression (OX) enhanced biomass production and grain numbers when compared with the wild type. RNA‐sequencing analyses revealed that 1958 genes were up‐regulated and 2096 genes were down‐regulated in the region of active division within the first internodes of OX plants. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that, among the downregulated genes, OsVIL2 was directly associated with chromatins in the promoter region of CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE2 (OsCKX2), a gene responsible for cytokinin degradation. Likewise, active cytokinin levels were increased in the OX plants. We conclude that OsVIL2 improves the production of biomass and grain by suppressing OsCKX2 chromatin.