The family of phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs) is able to bind specific lipids to carry out various biological functions throughout different stages of plant life. But the function of PITPs in rice plant is unclear. In this study, 30 PITPs were identified from rice genome, which showed differences in physicochemical properties, gene structure, conservation domains, and subcellular localization. The promoter region of the OsPITPs genes included at least one type of hormone response element, such as methyl jasmonate (Me JA) and salicylic acid (SA). Furthermore, the expression level of OsML-1, OsSEC14-3, OsSEC14-4, OsSEC14-15, and OsSEC14-19 genes were significantly affected by infection of rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Based on these findings, it is possible that OsPITPs may be involved in rice innate immunity in response to M. oryzae infection through the Me JA and SA pathway.

Rice blast disease, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is a significant threat to rice production. Resistant cultivars can effectively resist the invasion of M. oryzae. Thus, the identification of disease-resistant genes is of utmost importance for improving rice production. Autophagy, a cellular process that recycles damaged components, plays a vital role in plant growth, development, senescence, stress response, and immunity. To understand the involvement of autophagy-related genes (ATGs) in rice immune response against M. oryzae, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of 37 OsATGs, including bioinformatic analysis, transcriptome analysis, disease resistance analysis, and protein interaction analysis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the promoter regions of 33 OsATGs contained cis-acting elements responsive to salicylic acid (SA) or jasmonic acid (JA), two key hormones involved in plant defense responses. Transcriptome data showed that 21 OsATGs were upregulated during M. oryzae infection. Loss-of-function experiments demonstrated that OsATG6c, OsATG8a, OsATG9b, and OsATG13a contribute to rice blast resistance. Additionally, through protein interaction analysis, we identified five proteins that may interact with OsATG13a and potentially contribute to plant immunity. Our study highlights the important role of autophagy in rice immunity and suggests that OsATGs may enhance resistance to rice blast fungus through the involvement of SA, JA, or immune-related proteins. These findings provide valuable insights for future efforts in improving rice production through the identification and utilization of autophagy-related genes.