An ERAD-related ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme boosts broad-spectrum disease resistance and yield in rice

Rice is a staple crop for over half of the global population. However, blast disease caused by Magnaporthe orzae can result in more than a 30% loss in rice yield in epidemic years. Although some major resistance genes bolstering blast resistance have been identified in rice, their stacking in elite cultivars usually leads to yield penalties. Here we report that OsUBC45, a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme functioning in the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation system, promotes broad-spectrum disease resistance and yield in rice. OsUBC45 is induced upon infection by M. oryzae, and its overexpression enhances resistance to blast disease and bacterial leaf blight by elevating pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) while nullifying the gene-attenuated PTI. The OsUBC45 overexpression also increases grain yield by over 10%. Further, OsUBC45 enhances the degradation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 OsGSK3 and aquaporin OsPIP2;1, which negatively regulate the grain size and PTI, respectively. The OsUBC45 reported in our study has the potential for improving yield and disease resistance for sustainable rice production. Rice blast disease caused by Magnaporthoryzae is one of the most devastating diseases to threaten sustainable rice production. This study reveals that OsUBC45, encoding a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, may be useful in improving disease resistance. Overexpression of OsUBC45 enhances resistance to both the blast disease and bacterial leaf blight, while also resulting in a significant increase in grain yield of over 10%.

Automated summary

Rice is a staple crop for over half of the global population, but blast disease caused by Magnaporthe orzae can lead to significant yield losses. This study identifies a protein, OsUBC45, that enhances disease resistance and yield in rice. Overexpression of OsUBC45 increases resistance to both blast disease and bacterial leaf blight, while also increasing grain yield by over 10%.