Natural variation of <i>CTS1</i> confers cold tolerance and blast resistance in rice

W Wei Ye (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) W Wendong Ma (Rice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences) Y Yingxiu Li (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) Z Zhenhua Guo (Rice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences) S Shilei Gao (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) H Haifeng Guo (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) Z Zezhong Yan (Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University) S Sijing Shi (Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University) S Shichen Han (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) Q Qijin Lou (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) J Jin Li Y Yunsong Gu (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) R Runbin Su (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) H Haozhen Wang (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) H Hafiz Ghulam Nabi (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) Y Yanchen Liu (School of Materials Science and Engineering) H Huanhuan Zhu (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) H Hongliang Zhang (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University) Z Zhanying Zhang (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) X Xingming Sun (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) Y Yawen Zeng (Biotechnology and Germplasm Resources Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences) X Xujun Chen (Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University) Y Yanjiang Feng (Rice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences) Z Zichao Li (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University) J Jinjie Li (Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University)

Abstract

Improving multistress resilience in crops is essential for sustainable agriculture, yet the genetic mechanisms coordinating abiotic and biotic stress responses remain poorly understood. This study identifies CTS1 ( Cold Tolerance at the Seedling stage1 ), encoding the transcription factor OsWRKY74, as a key pleiotropic regulator that mediates both cold tolerance and blast resistance in rice. Through genome-wide association study, we found that CTS1 negatively regulates cold tolerance at the seedling stage. The natural allele CTS1 Hap1 confers greater cold tolerance than CTS1 Hap2 by mildly repressing the expression of CTB2 , thereby maintaining sterol glycoside homeostasis and membrane stability. Furthermore, during Magnaporthe oryzae infection, CTS1 activates the expression of OsHSP90 and upregulates pathogenesis-related genes, thereby enhancing blast resistance. Our findings reveal a dual-function mechanism of CTS1 in stress adaptation and provide valuable alleles for breeding multistress resilient rice varieties.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 123, Issue 26
Published June 30, 2026
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (25)

W

Wei Ye

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

W

Wendong Ma

Rice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Y

Yingxiu Li

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

Z

Zhenhua Guo

Rice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences

S

Shilei Gao

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

H

Haifeng Guo

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

Z

Zezhong Yan

Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University

S

Sijing Shi

Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University

S

Shichen Han

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

Q

Qijin Lou

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

J

Jin Li

Y

Yunsong Gu

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

R

Runbin Su

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

H

Haozhen Wang

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

H

Hafiz Ghulam Nabi

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

Y

Yanchen Liu

School of Materials Science and Engineering

H

Huanhuan Zhu

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

H

Hongliang Zhang

Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University

Z

Zhanying Zhang

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

X

Xingming Sun

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

Y

Yawen Zeng

Biotechnology and Germplasm Resources Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences

X

Xujun Chen

Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Crop Molecular Breeding, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University

Y

Yanjiang Feng

Rice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Z

Zichao Li

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

J

Jinjie Li

Frontiers Science Center for Molecular Design Breeding, Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University