{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: An artificially evolved gene for herbicide-resistant rice breeding.
{Author}: Dong J;Yu XH;Dong J;Wang GH;Wang XL;Wang DW;Yan YC;Xiao H;Ye BQ;Lin HY;Yang GF;
{Journal}: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
{Volume}: 121
{Issue}: 34
{Year}: 2024 Aug 20
{Factor}: 12.779
{DOI}: 10.1073/pnas.2407285121
{Abstract}: Discovering and engineering herbicide-resistant genes is a crucial challenge in crop breeding. This study focuses on the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase Inhibitor Sensitive 1-Like (HSL) protein, prevalent in higher plants and exhibiting weak catalytic activity against many β-triketone herbicides (β-THs). The crystal structures of maize HSL1A complexed with β-THs were elucidated, identifying four essential herbicide-binding residues and explaining the weak activity of HSL1A against the herbicides. Utilizing an artificial evolution approach, we developed a series of rice HSL1 mutants targeting the four residues. Then, these mutants were systematically evaluated, identifying the M10 variant as the most effective in modifying β-THs. The initial active conformation of substrate binding in HSL1 was also revealed from these mutants. Furthermore, overexpression of M10 in rice significantly enhanced resistance to β-THs, resulting in a notable 32-fold increase in resistance to methyl-benquitrione. In conclusion, the artificially evolved M10 gene shows great potential for the development of herbicide-resistant crops.