The lncRNA-encoded micropeptide ANCHOR promotes lateral root growth and drought tolerance in rice.

Overexpressing the lncRNA-encoded micropeptide ANCHOR in rice produces significantly longer and wider lateral roots and enhances drought tolerance, while ANCHOR knockouts show opposite phenotypes.

• Why it matters: Lateral root plasticity is crucial for robust root architecture and water uptake under fluctuating conditions, but regulators that tune drought-responsive root growth are limited.
• What they did: ANCHOR was identified as a micropeptide encoded by a long noncoding RNA expressed in rice LR primordia and plumules; its plastid localization and direct interaction with LL-DAPAT were tested, linking to lysine metabolism and auxin precursor tryptophan.
• The result: ANCHOR acts as a “molecular glue” that enhances DAPAT dimerization, raising tryptophan levels and affecting auxin homeostasis, enabling drought-tolerant root system architecture in rice.