Biotech Updates

Study Shows OsCRS2 Vital for Chloroplast Development in Rice

September 9, 2020

Scientists from China National Rice Research Institute conducted a study to determine the function of chloroplast RNA splicing 2 (CRS2) protein in rice chloroplast development. The results are published in Plant Growth Regulation.

Previous studies have shown that CRS2 has a vital role in chloroplast development by splicing the chloroplast gene introns in maize. To know the role of OsCRS2 in rice chloroplast development, CRISPR-Cas9 was used and oscrs2-1 and oscrs2-2 mutants were obtained.

Results showed that both mutants have the albino seedling phenotype. OsCRS2 was located in the chloroplast and found to be in high concentration in green tissues. Furthermore, OsCRS2 was found to affect group I and seven group II introns splicing and participate in chloroplast rRNA biogenesis. Further analysis revealed that both nuclear-encoded photosynthesis and chloroplast development-related genes expression were significantly reduced in the oscrs2-1 mutant.

Based on the results, the researchers concluded that OsCRS2 is necessary for early chloroplast development in rice.

Read more findings in Plant Growth Regulation.


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