Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2024, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (11): 88-102.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2024-0311

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Advances in the Mechanism of Leaf Width Regulation and Related Genes in Rice

QIAO Cheng-bin(), SONG Jia-wei, YANG Hui, DUAN Kai-rong, RAN Jie, KONG Wei-ru, FENG Pei-yuan, LUO Cheng-ke, LI Pei-fu, TIAN Lei()   

  1. School of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Key Laboratory of Modern Molecular Breeding for Dominant and Special Crops in Ningxia, Yinchuan 750021
  • Received:2024-03-31 Online:2024-11-26 Published:2024-12-19
  • Contact: TIAN Lei E-mail:qiao1053811988@163.com;tianlei2012@nxu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Rice leaf width is a crucial component of leaf morphology, which has biological significance to leaf construction and photosynthesis. Leaf width morphogenesis is accomplished in rice by cell division and cell expansion in the medio-lateral axis direction of the leaf primordium, a process that is influenced by phytohormones, cellular metabolism, and the expression levels of related genes. TDD1, NAL7 and FIB are involved in the tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis pathway in rice, and GID1, GID2, and SLR1 are involved in the negative regulation of leaf width in rice by GA. Genes such as NAL21, NLG1, and NAL9 are essential for maintaining organelle homeostasis and normal cellular metabolism. While most rice leaf width genes act on cell division through the auxin signaling, CCC1 is involved in cell expansion by regulating cellular osmotic potential. The transcription factor WL1 negatively regulates the expression of the serine protease gene NAL1 by recruiting the co-repressor TOPLESS-RELATED PROTEIN, and consequently the auxin signaling pathway is affected. Exploring the genes related to leaf width development and applying them to breeding practice is of great significance for improving rice yield. Utilizing germplasm resources to explore superior haplotypes of rice leaf width gene and gene editing technology represented by CRISPR/Cas9 provide abundant means and ways to improve rice leaf width. When utilizing the rice leaf width gene for trait improvement, comprehensive consideration should be given to pleiotropy and genetic interactions, which should be combined with production practice to avoid adverse effects on other traits. In this review we summarized the genetic regulatory mechanism of rice leaf width from the aspects of histological characteristics, plant hormones, molecular mechanisms and leaf width-related genes, discussed the significance and strategies of rice leaf width improvement in breeding, and provided ideas for research on the molecular mechanism of rice leaf shape and the breeding of “ideal plant architecture”.

Key words: rice, leaf width, regulatory mechanism, improvement of trait