Rice LIM protein OsPLIM2a is involved in rice seed and tiller development

Yield of major monocotyledonous crops including wheat, rice, barley, and sorghum is greatly influenced by tillering. However, deciphering the underlying mechanisms of the tillering has long been hindered because many changeable factors are involved in the process. Plant two LIM-domain-containing proteins bind to and stabilize actin filaments that are major constituents in the formation of higher-order actin cytoskeleton. Here, we report that rice LIM-domain protein, OsPLIM2a, is involved in rice tillering likely through actin cytoskeleton organization. OsPLIM2 genes (OsPLIM2a, OsPLIM2b, and OsPLIM2c) expressed in reproductive organs including anthers, but not in other tissues. Analysis of both OsPLIM2a and OsPLIM2c promoter fused to GUS reporter revealed that both promoters directed strong and specific GUS expression in pollens. Transient expression of OsPLIM2a-GFP and OsPLIM2c-GFP in tobacco leaves showed that OsPLIM2a and OsPLIM2c could bind to actin filaments, which is consistent with other plant LIM proteins with actin-binding property. To examine further physiological roles of rice OsPLIM2a and OsPLIM2c, transgenic rice plants with 35S:OsPLIM2a or 35S:OsPLIM2c were examined for any phenotypic changes. Transgenic plants overexpressing OsPLIM2a produced bigger seeds than wild type, whereas they exhibited reduction in tiller numbers. These results suggest that OsPLIM2a may participate positively in seed development but negatively in tiller differentiation. Protein interaction assays using OsPLIM2c proteins revealed that OsPLIM2c interacted with at least three proteins including rice Fimbrin, of which homologs in Arabidopsis play crucial roles in pollen tube growth, implying that rice OsPLIM2c and Fimbrin may exert roles together in pollen tube growth.