Comprehensive Analysis of Rice Genes Using the FOX-Hunting System

Abstract

For systematic and genome-wide functional analysis of rice genes, we are taking advantage of the Full-length cDNA Over-eXpresser (FOX) gene-hunting system. We collected the plasmid DNAs of 13,980 independent clones from RIKEN to produce a FOX library by placing individual cDNA under the control of ZmUbi-1 promoter. Then the FOX library was transformed into rice via Agrobacterium. So far, we have generated approximately 12,000 RIKEN-FOX-rice lines. Sequencing analysis of the PCR fragments carrying FL-cDNAs from 8,615 FOX-rice lines identified FL-cDNAs in 8,225 lines, and a database search classified the cDNAs into 5,462 independent ones. Approximately 16.6% of FOX-rice lines examined showed altered growth or morphological characteristics. We also have constructed rice FOX libraries containing 13,823 independent FL-cDNAs from the Foundation for Advancement of International Science (FAIS), and are generating FAIS-FOX-rice lines. Our collection of the FOX-rice lines should be a valuable tool to efficiently identify agronomically important genes.