The lncRNA-encoded micropeptide ANCHOR promotes lateral root growth and drought tolerance in rice
- 1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- 2School of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya 572025, China
- 3Rice Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
Abstract
Lateral roots (LRs) are important components of plant root systems, determining the robustness of root system architecture and influencing water uptake efficiency. Enhancing the phenotypic plasticity of LRs is key to improving crop production under fluctuating environmental conditions. In this study, we identified ANCHOR, a micropeptide encoded by a long noncoding RNA that is predominantly expressed in LR primordia and plumules. Overexpression of ANCHOR resulted in significantly longer and wider LRs, thereby altering root system architecture and enhancing drought tolerance; knockouts of ANCHOR produced the opposite phenotypes. Mechanistically, ANCHOR localized to plastids and directly interacted with the lysine biosynthetic enzyme LL-diaminopimelate aminotransferase 1 (LL-DAPAT). Our results indicate that ANCHOR functions as a “molecular glue” that enhances DAPAT dimerization. Through its influence on lysine metabolism, ANCHOR raises the levels of the auxin biosynthetic precursor tryptophan, thereby affecting auxin homeostasis. These findings show that lncRNA-derived micropeptides, like their precursor RNAs, can function as fine-tuning regulators. This function of micropeptides, together with their small molecular size, may make them suitable for application as bioeffectors to stimulate root growth and improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress without side effects for plants.
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BibTeX
@article{he2026lncrnaencoded,
title = {{The lncRNA-encoded micropeptide ANCHOR promotes lateral root growth and drought tolerance in rice}},
author = {Rui-Rui He and Jie Jiang and Chao Yuan and Xing-Lan Cao and Kai-Bin Peng and Nan Zhang and Lan-Jun Luo and Chuan-Ying Fang and Zhi-Yu Zhang and Xin-Ya Niu and Wen-Hui Li and Wan-Ting Mo and Yu-Hong Liao and Qing Liu and Yu-Chan Zhang and Jian-Ping Lian and Yu Cheng and Yue-Qin Chen},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1073/pnas.2623578123},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2623578123},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The lncRNA-encoded micropeptide ANCHOR promotes lateral root growth and drought tolerance in rice
AU - Rui-Rui He
AU - Jie Jiang
AU - Chao Yuan
AU - Xing-Lan Cao
AU - Kai-Bin Peng
AU - Nan Zhang
AU - Lan-Jun Luo
AU - Chuan-Ying Fang
AU - Zhi-Yu Zhang
AU - Xin-Ya Niu
AU - Wen-Hui Li
AU - Wan-Ting Mo
AU - Yu-Hong Liao
AU - Qing Liu
AU - Yu-Chan Zhang
AU - Jian-Ping Lian
AU - Yu Cheng
AU - Yue-Qin Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
DO - 10.1073/pnas.2623578123
UR - https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2623578123
AB - Lateral roots (LRs) are important components of plant root systems, determining the robustness of root system architecture and influencing water uptake efficiency. Enhancing the phenotypic plasticity of LRs is key to improving crop production under fluctuating environmental conditions. In this study, we identified ANCHOR, a micropeptide encoded by a long noncoding RNA that is predominantly expressed in LR primordia and plumules. Overexpression of ANCHOR resulted in significantly longer and wider LRs, thereby altering root system architecture and enhancing drought tolerance; knockouts of ANCHOR produced the opposite phenotypes. Mechanistically, ANCHOR localized to plastids and directly interacted with the lysine biosynthetic enzyme LL-diaminopimelate aminotransferase 1 (LL-DAPAT). Our results indicate that ANCHOR functions as a “molecular glue” that enhances DAPAT dimerization. Through its influence on lysine metabolism, ANCHOR raises the levels of the auxin biosynthetic precursor tryptophan, thereby affecting auxin homeostasis. These findings show that lncRNA-derived micropeptides, like their precursor RNAs, can function as fine-tuning regulators. This function of micropeptides, together with their small molecular size, may make them suitable for application as bioeffectors to stimulate root growth and improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress without side effects for plants.
SN - 0027-8424
SN - 1091-6490
ER -