Using the tool of homologous sequence alignment in NCBI, we predicted the AtMAX1 homologous genes in rice genome database (http://rice.plantbiology.msu.edu/ index.shtml) and identified five OsMAX1 candidate genes with high homology to AtMAX1, OsMAX1a (LOC_Os01g50530 and LOC_Os01g50520, and cDNA sequencing showed that these two annotated loci are
in the same ORF), OsMAX1b (LOC_Os06g36920), OsMAX1c (LOC_Os01g50590), OsMAX1d (LOC_
Os01g50580) and OsMAX1e (LOC_Os02g12890) (Table 1). These candidate genes shared 50%–63%
sequence homology with AtMAX1.