The circular RNA circANK suppresses rice resistance to bacterial blight by inhibiting microRNA398b-mediated defense

Xiaohui Liu ¹, Peihong Wang ¹, Sai Wang ¹, Weixue Liao ¹, Mingyan Ouyang ¹, Sisi Lin ¹, Rongpeng Lin ¹, Panagiotis F Sarris ², Vasiliki Michalopoulou ², Xurui Feng ¹, Zinan Zhang ¹, Zhengyin Xu ¹, Gongyou Chen ¹, Bo Zhu ¹

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are prevalent in eukaryotic cells and have been linked to disease progressions. Their unique circular structure and stability make them potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Compared with animal models, plant circRNA research is still in its infancy. The lack of effective tools to specifically knock down circRNAs without affecting host gene expression has slowed the progress of plant circRNA research. Here, we have developed a CRISPR-Cas13d tool that can specifically knock down circRNAs in plant systems, successfully achieving the targeted knockdown of circRNAs in rice (Oryza sativa). We further focused on Os-circANK (a circRNA derived from Ankyrin repeat-containing protein), a circRNA differentially expressed in rice upon pathogen infection. Physiological and biochemical experiments revealed that Os-circANK functions as a sponge for miR398b, suppressing the cleavage of CSD1/CSD2/copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase/SODX through competing endogenous RNA, leading to reduced reactive oxygen species levels following Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) infection and a negative regulation of rice resistance to bacterial blight. Our findings indicate Os-circANK inhibits rice resistance to bacterial blight via the miR398b/CSD/SOD pathway.