Kernel size and plant architecture play important roles in kernel yield in rice. Cloning and functional study of genes related to kernel size and plant architecture are of great significance for breeding high-yield rice. Using the single-segment substitution lines which developed with Oryza barthii as a donor parent and an elite indica cultivar Huajingxian74 (HJX74) as a recipient parent, we identified a novel QTL (quantitative trait locus), named qGL3.4, which controls kernel size and plant architecture. Compared with HJX74, the kernel length, kernel width, 1000-kernel weight, panicle length, kernels per plant, primary branches, yield per plant, and plant height of near isogenic line-qGL3.4 (NIL-qGL3.4) are increased, whereas the panicles per plant and secondary branches per panicle of NIL-qGL3.4 are comparable to those of HJX74. qGL3.4 was narrowed to a 239.18 kb interval on chromosome 3. Cell analysis showed that NIL-qGL3.4 controlled kernel size by regulating cell growth. qGL3.4 controls kernel size at least in part through regulating the transcription levels of EXPANSINS, GS3, GL3.1, PGL1, GL7, OsSPL13 and GS5. These results indicate that qGL3.4 might be beneficial for improving kernel yield and plant architecture in rice breeding.
籽粒大小与株型对水稻产量具有重要影响，因此其相关基因克隆与功能研究对培育高产水稻具有重大的意义。本研究从以短舌野生稻为供体、华粳籼74 (HJX74)为受体的染色体单片段代换系(SSSLs)中鉴定到一个新的调控籽粒大小与株型的QTL位点qGL3.4。与对照HJX74相比，近等基因系NIL-qGL3.4的粒长、粒宽、千粒重、穗长、穗粒数、一次枝梗数、单株产量与株高显著增加，而NIL-qGL3.4的分蘖数和二级枝梗数与HJX74对应值无显著差异。通过图位克隆，将qGL3.4定位在第3号染色体239.18 kb区间内。细胞学分析表明，NIL-qGL3.4通过调节颖壳细胞的生长进而调控籽粒的大小。分子机理研究表明，qGL3.4可能通过调控籽粒大小相关基因EXPANSINs、GS3、GL3.1、PGL1、GL7、OsSPL13和GS5的表达进而调控籽粒大小。本研究可能为高产与理想株型的水稻培育提供新的靶标位点。.
Keywords: kernel size; plant architecture; rice; single segment substitution line.