A long noncoding RNA regulates photoperiod-sensitive male sterility, an essential component of hybrid rice

Hybrid rice has greatly contributed to the global increase of rice productivity. A major component that facilitated the development of hybrids was a mutant showing photoperiod-sensitive male sterility (PSMS) with its fertility regulated by day length. Transcriptome studies have shown that large portions of the eukaryotic genomic sequences are transcribed to long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). However, the potential roles for only a few lncRNAs have been brought to light at present. Thus, great efforts have to be invested to understand the biological functions of lncRNAs. Here we show that a lncRNA of 1,236 bases in length, referred to as long-day-specific male-fertility-associated RNA (LDMAR), regulates PSMS in…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 2012AA100103, 30921091