ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Cell Research (2007): 713-721
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OsRRM, a Spen-like rice gene expressed specifically in the endosperm

Shi-Yan Chen^1,2, Zong-Yang Wang¹ and Xiu-Ling Cai¹

Correspondence: Xiu-Ling Cai, Tel: +86-21-54924078 Fax: +86-21-54924015 E-mail: xlcai@sippe.ac.cn

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We used the promoter trap technique to identify a rice plant, named 107#, in which the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene was expressed specifically in the endosperm. A single copy of the T-DNA was inserted into the plant genome, and a candidate gene OsRRM was identified by the insertion. The OsRRM promoter directed GUS expression specifically in rice endosperm, analogous to the GUS expression pattern observed in 107#. OsRRM is a single-copy gene in rice and encodes a nuclear protein containing 1 005 amino-acid residues with two RNA recognition motifs and one Spen paralog and ortholog C-terminal domain. Western blot analysis confirmed that the OsRRM protein was specifically expressed in rice endosperm. Ectopic expression of OsRRM in transgenic plants led to abnormalities, such as short stature, retarded growth and low fructification rates. Our data, in conjunction with the reported function of Spen genes, implicated OsRRM in the regulation of cell development in rice endosperm.

Cell Research (2007) 17:713–721. doi: 10.1038/cr.2007.43; published online 8 May 2007

Keywords: RRM, Spen, promoter trap, GUS, rice