An Inositol 1,3,4,5,6-Pentakisphosphate 2-Kinase 1 Mutant with a 33-nt Deletion Showed Enhanced Tolerance to Salt and Drought Stress in Rice

OsIPK1 encodes inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate 2-kinase, which catalyzes the conversion of myo-inositol-1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate to myo-inositol-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate (IP(6)) in rice. By clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein (Cas9)-mediated mutagenesis in the 3rd exon of the gene, three OsIPK1 mutations, i.e., osipk1_1 (a 33-nt deletion), osipk1_2 (a 1-nt deletion), and osipk1_3 (a 2-nt deletion) were identified in T(0) plants of the rice line Xidao #1 (wild type, WT). A transfer DNA free line with the homozygous osipk1_1 mutation was developed; however, no homozygous mutant lines could be developed for the other two mutations. The comparative assay showed that the osipk1_1 mutant line had a significantly lower level of phytic acid (PA, IP(6); −19.5%) in rice grain and agronomic traits comparable to the WT. However, the osipk1_1 mutant was more tolerant to salt and drought stresses than the WT, with significantly lower levels of inositol triphosphate (IP(3)), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induced IP(6), and higher activities of antioxidant enzymes in seedlings subjected to these stresses. Further analyses showed that the transcription of stress response genes was significantly upregulated in the osipk1_1 mutant under stress. Thus, the low phytic acid mutant osipk1_1 should have potential applications in rice breeding and production.