A cluster of Ankyrin and Ankyrin-TPR repeat genes is associated with panicle branching diversity in rice

Abstract

The number of grains per panicle is an important yield-related trait in cereals which depends in part on panicle branching complexity. One component of this complexity is the number of secondary branches per panicle. Previously, a GWAS site associated with secondary branch and spikelet numbers per panicle in rice was identified. Here we combined gene capture, bi-parental genetic population analysis, expression profiling and transgenic approaches in order to investigate the functional significance of a cluster of 6 ANK and ANK-TPR genes within the QTL. Four of the ANK and ANK-TPR genes present a differential expression associated with panicle secondary branch number in contrasted accessions. These differential expression patterns correlate in the different alleles of these genes with specific deletions of potential cis-regulatory sequences in their promoters. Two of these genes were confirmed through functional analysis as playing a role in the control of panicle architecture. Our findings indicate that secondary branching diversity in the rice panicle is governed in part by differentially expressed genes within this cluster encoding ANK and ANK-TPR domain proteins that may act as positive or negative regulators of panicle meristem’s identity transition from indeterminate to determinate state.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Seed Morphology Traits in Senegalese Sorghum Cultivars

“…The TPR-containing protein TTL1in Arabidopsis regulates plant responses to abscisic acid (ABA) in seeds and seedlings [ 44 ]. Ankyrin repeat-containing proteins are essential in cell growth, development, and response to hormones and environmental stresses [ 45 ], and ankyrin-TPR repeats gene clusters in rice are associated with panicle branching diversity [ 46 ]. SNP locus S06_51902835, one of the top SNPs associated with perimeter, was 2571 bp away from calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.…”

Functional Diversification of euANT/PLT Genes in Oryza sativa Panicle Architecture Determination

“…For the expression profiling during early panicle development in O. sativa cv. Nipponbare, a single panicle per stage and per biological replicate was collected as described in the study by Khong et al (2021): N1, RM; N2, primary branch (PB) initiation; N3, early PB elongation; N4, PB elongation with AMs; N5, SpM differentiation; N6, floret meristem differentiation; and N7, floral organ establishment. Total RNA was extracted using an RNeasy Micro kit (Qiagen) from three biological replicates.…”