ATG genes, new players on early Fe toxicity response in rice (Oryza sativa).

Rice yield is frequently impaired by abiotic adverse conditions in several parts of the globe. One of these constraints is soil iron toxicity. Plants respond to adverse conditions by activating different mechanisms, some of which have already been elucidated. Recently, autophagy has been associated with plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, however, the involvement of this mechanism in the response to iron toxicity has never been studied. Autophagy is a process of recycling cellular components and involves approximately 30 genes in rice. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterise the regulation and transcriptional activation of OsATG genes in rice seedlings under iron toxicity. In this condition, OsATG genes were induced in the tolerant genotype and repressed in the sensitive one. Also, OsATG gene promoters are rich in W‐box cis‐regulatory elements targeted by WRKY transcription factors. These results suggest that OsATG genes are involved in early iron toxicity response and the regulation of these genes can occur via WRKY. This study provides early insights into the involvement of autophagy in iron toxicity response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]