Abstract:The effects of stay-green rice gene (SGR) mutation and overexpression on thylakoid protein degradation in rice leaves were studied by using protein immunoblot method. The results showed that the overexpression of SGR reduced the contents of protein in photosystem II (PSII), as well as PSI and electron transport chain under normal growth condition. During the dark-induced senescence, SGR mutation delayed the degradation of PSII and PSI proteins, but proteins in the electron transport chain had no changes. Under nitrogen deficiency stress, the overexpression of SGR promoted the thylakoid protein degradation, whereas SGR mutation delayed the thylakoid protein degradation. Therefore, the overexpression of SGR could promote the degradation of thylakoid protein in photosystem I and II, and electron transport chain.