OsCER1 Plays a Pivotal Role in Very-Long-Chain Alkane Biosynthesis and Affects Plastid Development and Programmed Cell Death of Tapetum in Rice ( Oryza sativa L.)

Cuticle waxes, which are primarily comprised of very-long-chain (VLC) alkanes, play an important role in plant reproductive development. ( ) is recognized as the core element for VLC alkane biosynthesis in Arabidopsis ( ). However, genes involved in the VLC alkane biosynthesis in rice remain unclear, and the alkane-form pathway in rice has still to be further explored. Here, we show that , a homology of , functions in VLC alkanes biosynthesis, which also could regulate anther development and plastids differentiation in rice. was highly expressed in the tapetum (stage 10) and bicellular pollen cells (stage 11). The decreased content of VLC alkanes (C25 and C27) in the knocked down plants as well as the increased content of C27 alkanes in the overexpression plants indicates that participates in VLC alkane biosynthesis. Downregulation of in rice led to sterility, and fewer amyloplasts within the mature pollen grains. In addition, the downregulation of in rice caused delayed tapetal programmed cell death and abnormal development of plastids in the tapetal cells. Furthermore, significantly altered levels of expression of genes involved in the pollen development were exhibited in the knocked down plants. These results indicate that is critical for VLC alkanes biosynthesis, plastids differentiation, and pollen development. This work provides insights into the VLC alkanes biosynthesis in anther development in rice.