OsMATE16 Regulates Anther Dehiscence by Modulating IAA Content Under High Temperature

Complete authors：Guohua Zhang; Bin Ma; Xueying Yang; Li Wan; Yulan Liu; Shenglan Xue; Jiawei Xiong; Hao Wang; Weilan Chen; Bin Tu; Ting Li; Zhaohui Zhong; Hua Yuan; Yuping Wang; Bingtian Ma; Shigui Li; Peng Qin

Rice, Vol. 19, Article number: 31 (2026), April 2026 (IF=5.000).

Abstract

Rising global temperatures threaten rice yield, with the panicle stage being particularly sensitive to heat stress. We identified OsMATE16, a member of the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter family, as being significantly induced by heat stress. Knockout of OsMATE16 mutants exhibited a pronounced reduction in seed setting rate compared with wild-type plants, a phenotype further aggravated under heat stress. The mutants displayed defective anther dehiscence, especially under heat stress. Phytohormone measurement revealed significant accumulation of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the anthers of OsMATE16-KO mutants. The 9311 cultivar (OsMATE16^Hap3) exhibits greater thermotolerance than the SSSL-OsMATE16^Nip, highlighting OsMATE16^Hap3 as a valuable allele for breeding heat-tolerant rice. OsMATE16 regulates anther dehiscence by modulating auxin accumulation, contributing to thermotolerance and stable seed-setting.

Keywords：Anther dehiscence; OsMATE16; High temperature; IAA; Rice