<i>GLGW10</i> controls grain size associated with the lignin content in rice

Haolin Liu; Jinlong Ni; Yuhan Zhang; Yue Chen; Yanmin Luo; Yi Wang; Fei Shang; Yuke Yang; Rongfang Xu; Liyong Cao; Lilan Hong; Juan Xu; Yuanzhu Yang; Ming Zhou

doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2025.02.009

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GLGW10 controls grain size associated with the lignin content in rice

doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2025.02.009

a. State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China;
b. Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Rice Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Improvement, Rice Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China;
c. Key Laboratory for Zhejiang Super Rice Research and State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311401, China;
d. College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China;
e. Key Laboratory of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China;
f. Key Laboratory of Southern Rice Innovation & Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Hunan Engineering Laboratory of Disease and Pest Resistant Rice Breeding, Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture Co., Ltd, Changsha, Hunan 410001, China

Funds:

We thank Dr. Yuese Ning (Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences) for generously providing a series of vectors, including the complementary vectors, the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing vectors and ectopic expression vectors. We thank Dr. Shuhua Yang (College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University) for kindly sharing the negative control of GUS protein for the LCI assay. We thank Dr. Baohai Li (College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University) for the constructive suggestions and discussions. This work was supported by grants from the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2023YFF1000500), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 226-2024-00102), and the Hundred-Talent Program of Zhejiang University, China to M. Z.

Received Date: 2024-11-13
Accepted Date: 2025-02-17
Rev Recd Date: 2025-02-16

Available Online: 2025-07-11

Abstract

Abstract

Grain size, which encompasses length, width, and thickness, is a critical agricultural trait that influences both grain yield and quality in rice. Although numerous grain size regulators have been identified, the molecular mechanisms governing grain size and the lignin content remain largely elusive. In this study, we cloned and characterized GRAIN LENGTH AND GRAIN WIDTH 10 (GLGW10), a regulator of grain size in rice. Loss-of-function mutations in GLGW10 result in reduced grain size. GLGW10 encodes an evolutionarily conserved protein, the function of which has not been previously characterized in higher plants. Biochemical assays reveal that GLGW10 may interact with the transcription factor OsMYB108, which acts as a negative regulator of the lignin content. Knockout of OsMYB108 leads to longer and slender grain size, accompanied by increased lignin content, indicating that OsMYB108 negatively regulates both grain size and lignin content. Analysis of natural variations and haplotypes in GLGW10 reveals an association with grain size, suggesting an artificial selection on GLGW10 during rice domestication. In summary, our findings identify regulators of grain size and elucidate potential mechanisms linking grain size and lignin metabolism in rice, thereby providing essential insights for improving crop yields.
- Rice,
- Grain size,
- Lignin,
- GLGW10,
- OsMYB108