The GW2-ERF115-SLRL2 module regulates seed dormancy in rice

Jin-Dong Wang; Li-Jun Kan; Wu-Jian Shi; Jia-Wen Yu; Yu Zhou; Zhen-Long Yin; Chang-Quan Zhang; Xiao-Lei Fan; Dong-Sheng Zhao; Li-Chun Huang; Lin Zhang; Qiao-Quan Liu; Qian-Feng Li

doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2026.03.022

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The GW2-ERF115-SLRL2 module regulates seed dormancy in rice

doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2026.03.022

a. Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China;
b. Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops of Jiangsu Province, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China;
c. Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou Modern Seed Innovation Institute (Gaoyou), Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China

Funds:

This work was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD1200103), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32270575, U25A20663), the Project of Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory (BM2022008-02), the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project (2023ZD0406902), the Government of Jiangsu Province (JBGS[2021]001, BK20200045 and PAPD).

Received Date: 2025-10-27
Accepted Date: 2026-03-25
Rev Recd Date: 2026-03-23

Available Online: 2026-04-02

Abstract

Abstract

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS), caused by weak seed dormancy and environmental stimuli, leads to significant losses in both crop yield and grain quality. Breeding crop cultivars with enhanced PHS resistance represents a promising strategy to address this challenge. However, limited useful genetic resources has hindered the progress in rice molecular breeding. Through screening of a rice mutant library, we identify the ethylene response factor115 (erf115) mutant, which exhibits enhanced PHS resistance. Genetic analysis reveals that ERF115 functions as a negative regulator of seed dormancy. Mechanistic assays show that the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase Grain Width and Weight 2 (GW2) interacts with and ubiquitinates ERF115, thereby promoting its proteasomal degradation. Accordingly, gw2 mutants display increased PHS susceptibility. ERF115 also interacts with the transcription factor SLR1-like 2 (SLRL2) and represses its transcriptional activation activity, consequently reducing the expression of the dormancy gene Mother of FT and TFL1 like 2 (MFT2). Haplotype analysis identifies three major ERF115 haplotypes (HapI–HapIII), among which ERF115^HapI represents an elite allele associated with reduced PHS. Collectively, our findings reveal a GW2–ERF115–SLRL2 regulatory module that integrates ubiquitin-mediated regulation and hormone signaling to fine-tune rice seed dormancy, providing valuable genetic resources for breeding PHS-resistant rice varieties.
- Rice (Oryza sativa),
- Seed dormancy,
- PHS,
- ERF115,
- GW2,
- SLRL2

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References(37)

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