OsUBP15, encoding a ubiquitin-specific protease15, regulates grain width and size in rice.

The locus underlying the panicle apical abortion1 mutant in rice encodes a putative aluminum-activated malate transporter (OsALMT7) that is essential for mainta

GOT1B regulates COPII-mediated protein export from the endoplasmic reticulum exit sites in developing rice endosperm cells.

Abscisic acid and gibberellic acid exert opposite effects on root growth and tillering by antagonistically regulating the APC/CTE-mediated degradation of rice S

Summary: Lesion mimic mutants that exhibit spontaneous hypersensitive response (HR)‐like necrotic lesions are ideal experimental systems for elucidating molecular mechanisms involved in plant cell death and defence responses. Here we report identification of a rice lesion mimic mutant, spotted leaf 35 (spl35), and cloning of the causal gene by TAIL‐PCR strategy. spl35 exhibited decreased chlorophyll content, higher accumulation of H₂O₂, up‐regulated expression of defence‐related marker genes, and enhanced resistance to both fungal and bacterial pathogens of rice. The SPL35 gene encodes a novel CUE (coupling of ubiquitin conjugation to ER degradation) domain‐containing protein that is predominantly localized in cytosol, ER and unknown punctate compartment(s). SPL35 is constitutively expressed in all organs, and both overexpression and knockdown of SPL35 cause the lesion mimic phenotype. SPL35 directly interacts with the E2 protein OsUBC5a and the coatomer subunit delta proteins Delta‐COP1 and Delta‐COP2 through the CUE domain, and down‐regulation of these interacting proteins also cause development of HR‐like lesions resembling those in spl35 and activation of defence responses, indicating that SPL35 may be involved in the ubiquitination and vesicular trafficking pathways. Our findings provide insight into a role of SPL35 in regulating cell death and defence response in plants.