Regulatory role of the OsWOX3A transcription factor in rice root development

Abstract

WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors play important roles in cell fate determination during plant development and function in the signaling pathways of phytohormones such as gibberellic acid (GA). In a recent study, we demonstrated that OsWOX3A directly binds to the promoter of the KAO gene, which encodes ent-kaurenoic acid oxidase, an enzyme involved in GA biosynthesis, and represses KAO expression. Interestingly, we observed that OsWOX3A overexpression causes not only severe dwarfism, but also an increase in the number of lateral roots. Moreover, the expression of PIN-FORMED 1 (PIN1), involved in polar auxin transport, is significantly upregulated in OsWOX3A-OX plants. These findings indicate that OsWOX3A may be involved in modulation of GA-auxin crosstalk in rice root development.