Analysis of Rice OsPLD3 and OsPLD4 Genes and Promoters

Phospholipase Ds (PLDs) are present in many plants. PLDs catalyze the hydrolysis of phospholipids (e.g. phosphatidylcholine) in cell membrane into phosphatidic acid (PA) and polar free heads (e.g. choline). Two PLD members from rice, OsPLD3 and OsPLD4, were studied by reverse genetics approach. The results showed that the promoters of OsPLD3 and OsPLD4 could drive the expression of the reporter gene in various tissues of the rice flower organs at different levels. The expression of both genes was induced by wounding and by applying methyl jasmonate (MeJA) but with different intensity at different time intervals. No prominent phenotypes were observed by RNA interference with gene-specific artificial miRNAs strategy or overexpression of the target genes in rice plants implying the functional redundancy among different members of the rice PLD family.