The GW2-WG1-OsbZIP47 pathway controls grain size and weight in rice

Abstract

Regulation of seed size is a key strategy for improving crop yield and is also a basic biological question. However, the molecular mechanisms by which plants determine their seed size remain elusive. Here, we report that the GW2-WG1-OsbZIP47 regulatory module controls grain width and weight in rice. WG1, which encodes a glutaredoxin protein, promotes grain growth by increasing cell proliferation. Interestingly, WG1 interacts with the transcription factor OsbZIP47 and represses its transcriptional activity by associating with the transcriptional co-repressor ASP1, indicating that WG1 may act as an adaptor protein to recruit the transcriptional co-repressor. In contrary, OsbZIP47 restricts grain growth by decreasing cell proliferation. Further studies reveal that the E3 ubiquitin ligase GW2 ubiquitinates WG1 and targets it for degradation. Genetic analyses confirm that GW2, WG1, and OsbZIP47 function in a common pathway to control grain growth. Taken together, our findings reveal a genetic and molecular framework for the control of grain size and weight by the GW2-WG1-OsbZIP47 regulatory module, providing new targets for improving seed size and weight in crops.

Keywords: GW2; OsbZIP47; WG1; cell proliferation; grain size and weight; rice.