Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle Number

Rice grain yield is primarily determined by three key agronomic traits: panicle number, grain number per panicle, and grain weight (GW). However, the inherent tradeoffs among these yield components remain a persistent challenge in rice breeding programs. Notably, compared with GW, brown rice weight...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lin Zhou, Hong Jiang, Long Huang, Ziang Li, Zhonghao Yao, Linhan Li, Kangwei Ji, Yijie Li, Haijuan Tang, Jinping Cheng, Yongmei Bao, Ji Huang, Hongsheng Zhang, Sunlu Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Rice Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1672630825000733
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849233518121451520
author Lin Zhou
Hong Jiang
Long Huang
Ziang Li
Zhonghao Yao
Linhan Li
Kangwei Ji
Yijie Li
Haijuan Tang
Jinping Cheng
Yongmei Bao
Ji Huang
Hongsheng Zhang
Sunlu Chen
author_facet Lin Zhou
Hong Jiang
Long Huang
Ziang Li
Zhonghao Yao
Linhan Li
Kangwei Ji
Yijie Li
Haijuan Tang
Jinping Cheng
Yongmei Bao
Ji Huang
Hongsheng Zhang
Sunlu Chen
author_sort Lin Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Rice grain yield is primarily determined by three key agronomic traits: panicle number, grain number per panicle, and grain weight (GW). However, the inherent tradeoffs among these yield components remain a persistent challenge in rice breeding programs. Notably, compared with GW, brown rice weight (BRW) provides a more direct metric associated with actual grain yield potential. In this study, we conducted a two-year replicated genome-wide association study to elucidate the genetic architecture of BRW and identify new loci regulating GW. Among seven consistently detected loci across experimental replicates, four were not co-localized with previously reported genes associated with BRW or GW traits. BRW1.1, one of the four newly identified loci, was found to encode a novel RNA-binding protein. Functional characterization revealed that BRW1.1 acts as a negative regulator of BRW, potentially through modulating mRNA translation processes. Intriguingly, through integrated analysis of mutant phenotypes and haplotype variations, we demonstrated that BRW1.1 mediates the physiological tradeoff between GW and panicle number. This study not only delineates the genetic determinants of BRW but also identifies BRW1.1 as a promising molecular target for breaking the yield component tradeoff in precision rice breeding.
format Article
id doaj-art-057dceb6b1874a1c85dda71c43a8701b
institution Kabale University
issn 1672-6308
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Rice Science
spelling doaj-art-057dceb6b1874a1c85dda71c43a8701b2025-08-20T05:06:07ZengElsevierRice Science1672-63082025-07-0132452553610.1016/j.rsci.2025.06.002Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle NumberLin Zhou0Hong Jiang1Long Huang2Ziang Li3Zhonghao Yao4Linhan Li5Kangwei Ji6Yijie Li7Haijuan Tang8Jinping Cheng9Yongmei Bao10Ji Huang11Hongsheng Zhang12Sunlu Chen13Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaSanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaCorresponding author.; Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaCorresponding author.; Sanya Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 211800, ChinaRice grain yield is primarily determined by three key agronomic traits: panicle number, grain number per panicle, and grain weight (GW). However, the inherent tradeoffs among these yield components remain a persistent challenge in rice breeding programs. Notably, compared with GW, brown rice weight (BRW) provides a more direct metric associated with actual grain yield potential. In this study, we conducted a two-year replicated genome-wide association study to elucidate the genetic architecture of BRW and identify new loci regulating GW. Among seven consistently detected loci across experimental replicates, four were not co-localized with previously reported genes associated with BRW or GW traits. BRW1.1, one of the four newly identified loci, was found to encode a novel RNA-binding protein. Functional characterization revealed that BRW1.1 acts as a negative regulator of BRW, potentially through modulating mRNA translation processes. Intriguingly, through integrated analysis of mutant phenotypes and haplotype variations, we demonstrated that BRW1.1 mediates the physiological tradeoff between GW and panicle number. This study not only delineates the genetic determinants of BRW but also identifies BRW1.1 as a promising molecular target for breaking the yield component tradeoff in precision rice breeding.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1672630825000733genome-wide association studybrown rice weightRNA-binding proteintradeoffgrain weightpanicle number
spellingShingle Lin Zhou
Hong Jiang
Long Huang
Ziang Li
Zhonghao Yao
Linhan Li
Kangwei Ji
Yijie Li
Haijuan Tang
Jinping Cheng
Yongmei Bao
Ji Huang
Hongsheng Zhang
Sunlu Chen
Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle Number
Rice Science
genome-wide association study
brown rice weight
RNA-binding protein
tradeoff
grain weight
panicle number
title Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle Number
title_full Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle Number
title_fullStr Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle Number
title_full_unstemmed Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle Number
title_short Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Rice Weight Identifies an RNA-Binding Protein Antagonistically Regulating Grain Weight and Panicle Number
title_sort genome wide association study of brown rice weight identifies an rna binding protein antagonistically regulating grain weight and panicle number
topic genome-wide association study
brown rice weight
RNA-binding protein
tradeoff
grain weight
panicle number
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1672630825000733
work_keys_str_mv AT linzhou genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT hongjiang genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT longhuang genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT ziangli genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT zhonghaoyao genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT linhanli genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT kangweiji genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT yijieli genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT haijuantang genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT jinpingcheng genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT yongmeibao genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT jihuang genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT hongshengzhang genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber
AT sunluchen genomewideassociationstudyofbrownriceweightidentifiesanrnabindingproteinantagonisticallyregulatinggrainweightandpaniclenumber