Overexpression of the JAZ factors with mutated jas domains causes pleiotropic defects in rice spikelet development

Abstract

In a determinate meristem, such as a floral meristem, a genetically determined number of organs are produced before the meristem is terminated. In rice, iterative formation of organs during flower development with defects in meristem determinacy, classically called ‘proliferation’, is caused by several mutations and observed in dependence on environmental conditions. Here we report that overexpression of several JAZ proteins, key factors in jasmonate signaling, with mutations in the Jas domains causes an increase in the numbers of organs in florets, aberrant patterns of organ formation and repetitious organ production in spikelets. Our results imply that JAZ factors modulate mechanisms that regulate meristem functions during spikelet development.

Keywords:

• environmental stress
• extra glume
• flower development
• jasmonate
• meristem determinacy
• meristem identity
• spikelet

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Hidemi Kitano, Yutaka Sato, Hiro-Yuki Hirano, Ahmed Ismail and Taisuke Nishimura for helpful discussion, Dr. Hiroaki Ichikawa for providing the binary vector pSMAHdN637L-GateA, Kyo Kurata for helpful technical comments and Mami Sugiura for technical assistance.

Funding

This work was supported in part by JSPS KAKENHI (24580493).