Professor Jang Geu-pil’s team at CNU has discovered genes that play a crucial role in regulating rice chloroplast development.

A research team led by Professor Jang (Department of Life Science and Biotechnology) has identified a key gene (OsPAP3) that regulates chloroplast development in rice. They also proposed that controlling the expression characteristics of this gene can not only enhance chloroplast development in rice but also improve its growth and productivity.

Chloroplasts are cellular organelles responsible for photosynthesis, and regulating chloroplast development deeply affects plant growth, productivity, and resistance to environmental stresses. With research worldwide actively pursuing the identification and utilization of key genes determining chloroplast development, Professor Jang’s team’s achievement is gaining attention.

The research paper, with Seo Deok-hyun (Ph.D. candidate in Biological Sciences and Biotechnology) as the first author, was published in the February issue of Plant Physiology, a prestigious international journal in the field of botany (impact factor 8.34, JCI 98.26%).