LEA — Oryza sativa Japonica

Summary

OsLEA (OS11G0454200) in rice encodes a dehydrin family protein, also known as RAB16C or DHN1, characterized by a dehydrin conserved sequence and capable of binding phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidate, phosphoinositides, and other lipids. This gene is associated with diverse biological processes including membrane breakdown, mycose metabolism, actin depolymerization, microtubule-based processes, abscisic acid anabolism, starch breakdown, lipogenesis, protein synthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, detoxification, root morphogenesis, cold acclimation, salt response, NO storage, protein metabolism, and immune response. It localizes to the vesicle membrane, cytosol, and nucleus. OsLEA is linked to grain yield, heat and cold tolerance, salt tolerance, spikelet sterility, pollen fertility, photosynthetic rate, stomatal resistance, chlorophyll content, soluble protein, amino acid, sugar, proline, and anthocyanin content, as well as seedling establishment and drought and desiccation tolerance. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to drought tolerance, winter survival, and seed maturation.