Authors: Han Yang, Yafei Li, Yiwei Cao, Wenqing Shi, En Xie, Na Mu, Guijie Du, Yi Shen, Ding Tang, Zhukuan Cheng
Published: 2022-01-25
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28173-3
Source: Full article
AbstractNitrogen (N), one of the most important plant nutrients, plays crucial roles in multiple plant developmental processes. Spikelets are the primary sink tissues during reproductive growth, and N deficiency can cause floral abortion. However, the roles of N nutrition in meiosis, the crucial step in plant sexual reproduction, are poorly understood. Here, we identified an N-dependent meiotic entrance mutant with loss of function ofELECTRON TRANSFER FLAVOPROTEIN SUBUNIT β(ETFβ) in rice (Oryza sativa).etfβdisplayed meiosis initiation defects, excessive accumulation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and decrease in total N contents in spikelets under N starvation, which were rescued by applying excess exogenous inorganic N. Under N starvation, ETFβ, through its involvement in BCAA catabolism, promotes N reutilization and contributes to meeting N demands of spikelets, highlighting the impact of N nutrition on meiosis initiation. We conclude that N nutrition contributes to plant fertility by affecting meiosis initiation.