AUR3 — Oryza sativa Japonica

Summary

OsAUR3 (also known as OsGH3.11, OsGH3.12, VAS2, and FIN219) on rice chromosome 1 encodes a GH3 family protein with IAA amido synthetase and JA-amino synthetase activities, and adenylyltransferase activity. The gene is associated with cellular auxin homeostasis, jasmonic acid metabolism, regulation of defence response to bacteria, and responses to red and far-red light. In rice, OsAUR3 is linked to defence, abscisic acid responses, mycorrhizal symbiosis, seed and crown root development, drought tolerance, broad-spectrum disease resistance, and blast resistance. It is also associated with grain yield, tiller angle, panicle number, photosynthetic ability, photoperiod-sensitive flowering time, and plant morphology. The protein localises to the cytosol, chloroplast envelope, vacuole, and plasmodesmata. Studies of related genes in other species connect the GH3 family to auxin and salicylic acid homeostasis, pathogen defence, and light signalling.