GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR 7–mediated arbutin metabolism enhances rice salt tolerance

Abstract Salt stress is an environmental factor that limits plant growth and crop production. With the rapid expansion of salinized arable land worldwide, investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the salt stress response in plants is urgently needed. Here, we report that GROWTH REGULATING FACTOR 7 (OsGRF7) promotes salt tolerance by regulating arbutin (hydroquinone-β-D-glucopyranoside) metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa). Overexpression of OsGRF7 increased arbutin content, and exogenous arbutin application rescued the salt-sensitive phenotype of OsGRF7 knockdown and knockout plants. OsGRF7 directly promoted the expression of the arbutin biosynthesis genes URIDINE DIPHOSPHATE GLYCOSYLTRANSFERASE 1 (OsUGT1) and OsUGT5, and knockout of OsUGT1 or OsUGT5 reduced rice arbutin content, salt tolerance, and grain size. Furthermore, OsGRF7 degradation through its interaction with F-BOX AND OTHER DOMAINS CONTAINING PROTEIN 13 reduced rice salinity tolerance and grain size. These findings highlight an underexplored role of OsGRF7 in modulating rice arbutin metabolism, salt stress response, and grain size, as well as its broad potential use in rice breeding.