CRISPR–Cas9-mediated promoter editing of FERONIA-Like receptor 13 increases plant growth and disease resistance in rice
Yanan Guo, Yinyao Qi, Liu Kai, Xiao Luo, Weiyu Xiao, Xiaonan Qiang, Junjie Xing, Feng Yu, Zhenghong Zhao, Long Wang, Lifeng Wang
Abstract
Receptor kinases play a pivotal role in detecting environmental signals, and consequently, gene pleiotropy is frequently observed within this family. However, the trade-off in trait expression resulting from gene pleiotropy poses a constraint on the utilization of such genes in agricultural breeding. In this study, we identified the receptor kinase gene FERONIA-Like Receptor 13 ( FLR13 ) as a pleiotropic gene influencing plant height, tillering, grain yield, and disease resistance. Using promoter editing, we generated novel alleles ( FLR13 T5T6 -1, FLR13 T5T6 -2 ) that confer resistance to rice blast and increase per-plant yield. The knockout of the T5T6 segment alleviates the inhibitory effects of two transcription factors, OsGBP1 and OsWRKY53, on FLR13 expression. In summary, our study presents a promising avenue for enhancing the pivotal attributes of receptor-like kinases through a promoter-editing strategy.