Dwarf and tiller-enhancing 1 regulates growth and development by influencing boron uptake in boron limited conditions in rice

Boron (B) is essential for plant growth, and B deficiency causes severe losses in crop yield. Here we isolated and characterized a rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant named dwarf and tiller-enhancing 1 (dte1), which exhibits defects under low-B conditions, including retarded growth, increased number of tillers and impaired pollen fertility. Map-based cloning revealed that dte1 encodes a NOD26-LIKE INTRINSIC PROTEIN orthologous to known B channel proteins AtNIP5;1 in Arabidopsis and TASSEL-LESS1 in maize. Its identity was verified by transgenic complementation and RNA-interference. Subcellular localization showed DTE1 is mainly localized in the plasma membrane. The accumulation of DTE1 transcripts both in roots and shoots significantly increased within 3 h of the onset of B starvation, but decreased within 1 h of B replenishment. GUS staining indicated that DTE1s are expressed abundantly in exodermal cells in roots, as well as in nodal region of adult leaves. Although the dte1 mutation apparently reduces the total B content in plants, it does not affect in vivo B concentrations under B-deficient conditions. These data provide evidence that DTE1 is critical for vegetative growth and reproductive development in rice grown under B-deficient conditions.