**5. Conclusions**

In this study, we present a novel AAA-ATPase member gene, *OsAAA-ATPase1*, one of the six AAA-ATPase genes upregulated in *OsSSI2*-kd rice plants [12]. Functional analysis revealed that *OsAAA-ATPase1* is transcriptionally regulated by SA, and plays a positive role in the SA-mediated disease resistance in rice plants. Our findings provide novel insights into SA-regulated defense activation in rice, and the molecular basis of defense activation in *OsSSI2*-kd rice plants.

**Author Contributions:** Conceived and designed the experiments: X.L. and C.-J.J. Performed the experiments and analyzed the data: X.L., H.I., X.T., Y.T., X.X., and C.W. Interpreted and wrote the manuscript, H.I. and C.-J.J. All authors have read and agreed to the manuscript as written.

**Funding:** This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31370306), and grants from Japan's Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI to C.J. (19K06065) and to H.I. (17K07678).

**Acknowledgments:** We thank the NARO Genebank for providing the cDNA clone of *OsAAA-ATPase1* (*Os03g0802500*).

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
