Abstract
Main conclusion
OsFAR1 encodes a fatty acyl-CoA reductase involved in biosynthesis of primary alcohols and plays an important role in drought stress response in rice.
Abstract
Cuticular waxes cover the outermost surface of terrestrial plants and contribute to inhibiting nonstomatal water loss and improving plant drought resistance. Primary alcohols are the most abundant components in the leaf cuticular waxes of rice (Oryza sativa), but the biosynthesis and regulation of primary alcohol remain largely unknown in rice. Here, we identified and characterized an OsFAR1 gene belonging to the fatty acyl-CoA reductases (FARs) via a homology-based approach in rice. OsFAR1 was activated by abiotic stresses and abscisic acid, resulting in increased production of primary alcohol in rice. Heterologous expression of OsFAR1 enhanced the amounts of C22:0 and C24:0 primary alcohols in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and C24:0 to C32:0 primary alcohols in Arabidopsis. Similarly, OsFAR1 overexpression significantly increased the content of C24:0 to C30:0 primary alcohols on rice leaves. Finally, OsFAR1 overexpression lines exhibited reduced cuticle permeability and enhanced drought tolerance in rice and Arabidopsis. Taken together, our results demonstrate that OsFAR1 is involved in rice primary alcohol biosynthesis and plays an important role in responding to drought and other environmental stresses.
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Data availability
The data presented in this study are available in the Supplementary Materials.
Abbreviations
- FAR:
-
Fatty acyl-CoA reductase
- GC–MS:
-
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
- MDA:
-
Malondialdehyde
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- SOD:
-
Superoxide dismutase
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Dr. Tianxiang Liu for the extensive manuscript revisions. This research was funded by the Program of Introducing Talents of Innovative Discipline to Universities (Project 111) from the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (#B18042) and the project (Z1010222001) from State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas.
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425_2023_4164_MOESM1_ESM.jpg
Suppl. Fig. S1 Expression analysis of OsFAR1 and subcellular localization of the OsFAR1 protein. a qRT-PCR analysis of OsFAR1 expression in various organs of rice. Total RNAs were extracted from roots, stem, leaves, panicle and sheath. Results represent mean values with SD from three biological replicates. b Subcellular localization of OsFAR1 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermal cells. mCherry-HDEL was used as ER markers in and Nicotiana benthamiana cells. The overlap of GFP, ER marker and bright-field signals is indicated in merged images. Bars = 10 μm. (JPG 171 kb)
425_2023_4164_MOESM2_ESM.tif
Suppl. Fig. S2 The expression level of transgenic rice. qRT-PCR analysis of OsFAR1 gene expression in roots of WT and two overexpression transgenic lines, OE-1 and OE-5. Values are means SD, and three independent measurements were performed in each analysis. (TIF 44 kb)
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Guan, L., Xia, D., Hu, N. et al. OsFAR1 is involved in primary fatty alcohol biosynthesis and promotes drought tolerance in rice. Planta 258, 24 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04164-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04164-6