Advances in Research on Rice (Oryza sativa) Dicer-like Proteins
NIAN Wei1,*, ZHANG Jin-Wen1,*, YANG You-Qiong2, DENG Wei1, GUAN Jun-Jiao1, LI Xiao-Lin1**
1 Institute of Food Crops, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kunming 650205, China; 2 College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Abstract：Dicer-like (DCL) protein is a key enzyme in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, responsible for processing double-strand RNA (dsRNA) or precursor miRNA (pre-miRNA) into small interfering RNA (siRNA) or mature miRNA, thereby guiding mRNA degradation or gene expression inhibition. The rice (Oryza sativa) genome encodes 8 DCL proteins (OsDCLs) that exhibit distinct substrate specificity, small RNA (sRNA) product length, and biological functions. This review summarized the research progress on the functional diversification and mechanisms of OsDCLs in the processing of different types of sRNAs, their specialized roles in regulating growth, development, and important agronomic traits, as well as the regulatory mechanisms of their own activities. Moreover, the potential role of OsDCL-mediated RNA silencing pathways in the formation of rice heterosis was analyzed and the application value of OsDCLs in breeding and variety improvement was discussed. In-depth investigation of the OsDCL family would contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the roles of RNA silencing pathways in rice and other cereal crops. This review provides theoretical foundations and technical support for elucidating the mechanisms underlying heterosis formation and creating new germplasm with superior agronomic traits.
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