Genome-Wide Identification of lncRNAs During Rice Seed Development

• Main Authors: Juan Zhao, Abolore Adijat Ajadi, Yifeng Wang, Xiaohong Tong, Huimei Wang, Liqun Tang, Zhiyong Li, Yazhou Shu, Xixi Liu, Shufan Li, Shuang Wang, Wanning Liu, Jian Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-02-01
• Series: Genes
• Subjects: rice (<i>oryza sativa</i> l.); lncrnas; seed development; grain size
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/11/3/243
• ISSN: 2073-4425

Rice seed is a pivotal reproductive organ that directly determines yield and quality. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been recognized as key regulators in plant development, but the roles of lncRNAs in rice seed development remain unclear. In this study, we performed a paired-end RNA sequencing in samples of rice pistils and seeds at three and seven days after pollination (DAP) respectively. A total of 540 lncRNAs were obtained, among which 482 lncRNAs had significantly different expression patterns during seed development. Results from semi-qPCR conducted on 15 randomly selected differentially expressed lncRNAs suggested high reliability of the transcriptomic data. RNA interference of <i>TCONS_00023703</i>, which is predominantly transcribed in developing seeds, significantly reduced grain length and thousand-grain weight. These results expanded the dataset of lncRNA in rice and enhanced our understanding of the biological functions of lncRNAs in rice seed development