AUTHOR=Wu Qi , Li Dayong , Li Dejun , Liu Xue , Zhao Xianfeng , Li Xiaobing , Li Shigui , Zhu Lihuang 

TITLE=Overexpression of OsDof12 affects plant architecture in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2015.00833

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2015.00833

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Dof (DNA binding with one finger) proteins, a class of plant-specific transcription factors, are involved in plant growth and developmental processes and stress responses. However, their biological functions remain to be elucidated, especially in rice (<italic>Oryza sativa</italic> L.). Previously, we have reported that <italic>OsDof12</italic> can promote rice flowering under long-day conditions. Here, we further investigated the other important agronomical traits of the transgenic plants overexpressing <italic>OsDof12</italic> and found that overexpressing <italic>OsDof12</italic> could lead to reduced plant height, erected leaf, shortened leaf blade, and smaller panicle resulted from decreased primary and secondary branches number. These results implied that <italic>OsDof12</italic> is involved in rice plant architecture formation. Furthermore, we performed a series of Brassinosteroid (BR)-responsive tests and found that overexpression of <italic>OsDof12</italic> could also result in BR hyposensitivity. Of note, in WT plants the expression of <italic>OsDof12</italic> was found up-regulated by BR treatment while in <italic>OsDof12</italic> overexpression plants two positive BR signaling regulators, <italic>OsBRI1</italic> and <italic>OsBZR1</italic>, were significantly down-regulated, indicating that <italic>OsDof12</italic> may act as a negative BR regulator in rice. Taken together, our results suggested that overexpression of <italic>OsDof12</italic> could lead to altered plant architecture by suppressing BR signaling. Thus, <italic>OsDof12</italic> might be used as a new potential genetic regulator for future rice molecular breeding.</p>