CRISPR Confirms Rice Genes Responsible for Iron Uptake
May 28, 2025| |
Plants require soil iron for growth. While OsIRT1 and OsIRT2 rice genes are induced by iron deficiency, their role in iron acquisition is unclear. A study published in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry characterized their function, finding that both OsIRT1 and OsIRT2 could rescue Arabidopsis Atirt1 when they were driven by the CaMV35S promoter.
Using CRISPR-Cas9, Osirt1, Osirt2, and Osirt1/Osirt2 mutants were generated. Under various hydroponic growth conditions with various iron concentrations [Fe-free, Fe(II), and Fe(III)], no visible phenotypic differences were observed in the plants. Strategy II genes were activated in mutants under iron-deficient conditions. However, iron concentrations were lower in mutants under Fe (II) conditions, and seed iron was lower when grown in paddy fields.
Expression analysis revealed that OsPRI1 is required for OsIRT1 and OsIRT2 upregulation during iron deficiency, and OsPRI1 and OsPRI2 activate their promoters. This study defines OsIRT1 and OsIRT2's roles in Fe(II) uptake, shedding light on rice iron homeostasis.
Read the research article for more details.
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