Abstract
In northern part of Japan, rice crop production is occasionally damaged severely by low temperature in summer due to the disturbance in pollen formation. Rice is most chilling sensitive at the onset of microspore release. We identified 3 novel genes whose expression levels were remarkably affected by chilling in rice anther at the microspore release stage. Through the application of chilling stress in rice anther, the expression of OPDAR1 (12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase 1) and Radc1 (Rice anther down-regulated by chilling 1) was repressed and the expression of SAMDC1 (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase 1) was induced. Expression patterns of these genes were histochemically examined in anthers from transgenic rice plants bearing individual gene promoter::gus fusions. We will discuss the role of jasmonate, polyamine and these genes under cool temperature stress in pollen development stage.
