Identification and Functional Characterization of TPL/TPR Genes in Rice Disease Resistance
Received date: 2025-09-12
Accepted date: 2025-12-11
Online published: 2025-12-15
Copyright
TOPLESS/TOPLESS-RELATED (TPL/TPR) proteins are transcriptional corepressors that play pivotal roles in plant development, hormone signaling, and stress responses. Although TPL/TPR proteins have been identified in various organisms, their functions in rice disease resistance remain largely unexplored. Here, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the three rice TPL/TPR proteins, designated OsTPR1, OsTPR2, and OsTPR3, examining their evolutionary relationships, expression patterns, and subcellular localization, and assessing their roles in disease resistance. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the three OsTPRs belonged to distinct evolutionary clades. Expression analysis demonstrated tissue-specific patterns and responsiveness to jasmonate (JA), with all three genes being induced upon infection with Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Consistent with their roles as transcriptional corepressors, all three OsTPRs localized to the nucleus. Disease resistance assays showed that, after inoculation with Xoo, lesion lengths on ostpr2 and ostpr3 mutants were significantly shorter than those on wild-type plants. Protein interaction assays demonstrated that OsTPR2 interacted with JA ZIM-domain protein (OsJAZ12), whose expression is also induced by Xoo. Furthermore, haplotype analysis of OsTPRs revealed natural variation, leading to the identification of superior allelic variants that confer improved resistance to bacterial blight without a yield penalty. Collectively, our findings provide a systematic characterization of TPL/TPR proteins in rice, highlight their potential roles in resistance to bacterial leaf blight, and identify valuable allelic resources for molecular breeding aimed at improving both disease resistance and yield.
Zhan Chengfang, Lu Xueli, Chen Yingtong, Li Shunyuan, Zhang Xiaoyan, Chen Siqi, Xie Huan, Jin Lei, Ding Lin, Ge Yi, Yang Ting, Dai Liping, Cao Junfeng, Wang Mengcen, Tang Zhengbin, Zeng Dali . Identification and Functional Characterization of TPL/TPR Genes in Rice Disease Resistance[J]. Rice Science, 2026 , 33(2) : 232 -244 . DOI: 10.1016/j.rsci.2025.12.002
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