Different expression levels of OsPLS1 control leaf senescence period between indica and japonica-type rice

Leaf senescence is the process of aging in plants. Chlorophyll degradation during leaf senescence has the important role translocating nutrients from leaves to storage organs. The functional stay-green with slow leaf yellowing and photosynthesis activity maintenance has been considered one of strategy for increasing crop productivity. Here, we have identified two QTLs on chromosome 9 and 10 for leaf senescence with chlorophyll content of RIL population derived from a cross between Hanareum 2, early leaf senescence Indica-type variety, and Unkwang, delayed leaf senescence Japonica variety. Among these QTLs, we chose qPLS1 QTL on chromosome 9 for further study. qPLS1 was found to explain 14.4% of the total phenotypic variation with 11.2 of LOD score. Through fine-mapping approach, qPLS1 QTL locus was narrowed down to about 25kb in the marker interval between In/del-4-7-9 and In/del-5-9-4. There are 3 genes existed within 25kb of qPLS1 locus: LOC_Os09g36200, LOC_Os09g36210, and LOC_Os09g36220. Among these genes, transcript level of LOC_Os09g36200 was increased during the leaf senescence stage and the expression level of LOC_Os09g36200 in Indica was higher than in Japonica. Finally, we chose LOC_Os09g36200 as candidate gene and renamed it as OsPLS1-In and OsPLS1-Jp from Indica- and Japonica-type rice, respectively. OsPLS1-In and OsPLS1-Jp overexpressing transgenic plants showed both early leaf senescence phenotype. These results indicate that OsPLS1 functions in chlorophyll degradation and the difference of expression level of OsPLS1 cause the difference of leaf senescence between Indica and Japonica in rice.