Abstract
Key message
The cloning and characterization of a novel C2H2 zinc finger protein that affects rice eating and cooking quality by regulating amylose content and amylopectin chain-length distribution in rice.
Abstract
One of the major objectives in rice breeding aims to increase simultaneously yield and grain quality especially eating and cooking quality (ECQ). Controlling amylose content (AC) and amylopectin chain-length distribution (ACLD) in rice is a major strategy for improving rice ECQ. Previous studies show that some starch synthesis-related genes (SSRGs) are required for normal AC and ACLD, but its underlying regulating network is still unclear. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a novel C2H2 zinc finger protein TL1 (Translucent endosperm 1) that positively regulates amylose synthesis in rice grains. Loss of TL1 function reduced apparent amylose content (AAC), total starch, gel consistency, and gelatinisation temperature, whereas increased viscosity, total lipid, and ratio of amylopectin A chains with degree of polymerization (DP) 6–12 to B1 chains with DP 13–24, resulting in an enhanced grain ECQ. The improved ECQ was accompanied by altered expression patterns of several tested SSRGs in tl1 mutant grains. Furthermore, knockout of TL1 in the high-yielding rice variety JiaHua NO.1 reduced AAC without obvious side effects on major agronomic traits. These findings expand our understanding of the regulating networks of grain starch metabolism and provide new insights into how rice ECQ quality can be improved via genetic approach.
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All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and within its supplementary data published online.
Abbreviations
- AAC:
-
Apparent amylose content
- AC:
-
Amylose content
- ACLD:
-
Amylopectin chain-length distribution
- DAF:
-
Days after flowering
- DB:
-
Degree of branching
- dCAPs:
-
Derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence
- DP:
-
Degree of polymerization
- ECQ:
-
Eating and cooking quality
- GBSS 1:
-
Granule-bound starch synthase 1
- GC:
-
Gel consistency
- GT:
-
Gelatinization temperature
- MAS:
-
Marker-assisted selection
- SEM:
-
Scanning electron microscopy
- SSRGs:
-
Starch synthesis-related genes
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission under Grant (19391900500), Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Plant Germplasm Resources (17DZ2252700), and a grant from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (18DZ2260500).
Funding
The funding was provided by Shanghai Science and Technology Commission (Grant No. 19391900500), Shanghai Engineering Technology Research Center (Grant No. 17DZ2252700), Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (Grant No. 18DZ2260500).
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GC and JY designed the experiments. SF, SP and TW performed the experiments. GC and CJ analyzed the data. GC wrote the manuscript. GC and JX modified the manuscript.
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Communicated by Takuji Sasaki.
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Zhao, G., Xie, S., Zong, S. et al. Mutation of TL1, encoding a novel C2H2 zinc finger protein, improves grains eating and cooking quality in rice. Theor Appl Genet 135, 3531–3543 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-022-04198-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-022-04198-6