Rice dihydrosphingosine C4 hydroxylase (OsDSH1) is involved in fertility.

Abstract

In plant sphingolipids, C4 positions of the LCBs are mostly hydroxylated by dihydrosphingosine C4 hydroxylase (DSH). We found five DSH genes (OsDSH1 to OsDSH5) in the rice genome. Among them, OsDSH1 and OsDSH4 restored the yeast DSH mutation, suggesting that both OsDSH1 and OsDSH4 functioned as DSH in yeast. The expression pattern of OsDSH1 was determined using the GUS reporter assay system. Since the strong expression of the GUS gene was observed in SAM, RAM, vascular bundle and stigma, it was suggested that OsDSH1 was specifically expressed in these organs. In the transformants with the OsDSH1 RNAi, serve reduction of their fertility was observed. These result strongly suggested that OsDSH1 was involved in the fertility.