A member of cation diffusion facilitator family, MTP11, is required for manganese tolerance and high fertility in rice

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most manganese (Mn)-tolerant species, and it is able to accumulate high levels of this metal in the leaves without showing toxic symptoms. The metal tolerance protein 8.1 (MTP8.1), a member of the Mn-cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) family, has been shown to play a central role in high Mn tolerance by sequestering Mn into vacuoles. Recently, rice MTP11 was identified as an Mn transporter that is localized to Golgi-associated compartments, but its exact role in Mn tolerance in planta has not yet been understood. Here, we investigated the role of MTP11 in rice Mn tolerance using knockout lines. Old leaves presented higher levels of constitutively expressed MTP11 than other tissues and MTP11 expression was also found in reproductive organs. Fused MTP11: green fluorescent protein was co-localized to trans-Golgi markers and differentiated from other Golgi-associated markers. Knockout of MTP11 in wild-type rice did not affect tolerance and accumulation of Mn and other heavy metals, but knockout in the mtp8.1 mutant showed exacerbated Mn sensitivity at the vegetative growth stage. Knockout of MTP11 alone resulted in decreased grain yield and fertility at the reproductive stage. Thus, MTP11 is a trans-Golgi localized transporter for Mn, which plays a role in Mn tolerance through intracellular Mn compartmentalization. It is also required for maintaining high fertility in rice.