Accumulation and degradation of thiamin-binding protein and level of thiamin in wheat seeds during seed maturation and germination

Changes in the levels of thiamin-binding globulin and thiamin in wheat seeds during maturation and germination were studied. The thiamin-binding activity of the seed proteins increased with seed development after flowering. The thiamin content of the seeds also increased with development. Thiamin-binding activity decreased during seed germination. On the other hand, immunological analysis using an antibody directed against the thiamin-binding protein isolated from wheat seeds showed that the thiamin-binding globulin accumulated in the aleurone layer of the seeds during maturation, and then the protein was degraded and disappeared during seed germination. These results suggested that the thiamin-binding globulin of wheat seeds was synthesized and accumulated in the aleurone layer of the seeds with seed development, similar to the thiamin-binding albumin in sesame seeds, and that thiamin bound to the thiamin-binding globulin in the dormant wheat seeds for germ growth during germination.     

Metals and seeds: Biochemical and molecular implications and their significance for seed germination

Seeds contain the embryo as a new plant in miniature and have two major functions, reproduction and dispersal. Seed formation completes the process of plant reproduction and, with seed germination, the next plant generation starts. Given the ever-increasing environmental pollution with metal(loid)s, it is perhaps surprising that relatively few reports detail the impacts of metals on seed metabolism, viability and germination in comparison to the numerous publications on the effects of metals in vegetative tissues, particularly roots and shoots. This review provides information on metal(loid) homeostasis, detoxification and tolerance in relation to seed metabolism and performance. The delivery of metals from the mother plant into seeds and their implications on seed development are discussed, as are their uptake upon seed imbibition and subsequent effects on seed germination. Implications for seeds and seedlings on the biochemical and molecular level are discussed and finally, applied aspects are considered regarding the use of seeds for soil and water purification, and in phytoremediation programmes. We conclude with a perspective on future metal research in relation to seed biology.     

Phytochrome and seed germination. V. Changes of phytochrome content during the germination of cucumber seeds

Cucumber seeds are light-sensitive, dark-germinating seeds. Inhibition of germination can be induced by prolonged exposure to continuous or intermittent FR. The dark germination process and the response to FR are phytochrome controlled. Phytochrome can be detected in these seeds by differential spectrophotometry in vivo. Spectrophotometrically measurable phytochrome increases during dark germination. The rate of increase is temperature dependent. Light treatments which are inhibitory for germination result in phytochrome contents lower than those of the seeds germinating in darkness. Treatments which restore germination also restore phytochrome formation.     

Colonization ofRetama raetam seeds by fungi and their significance in seed germination

Examination by scanning electron microscopy and incubation on potato-dextrose agar medium showed that dry seeds ofRetama raetam were externally free of fungi. When planted in sandy loam soil, the seeds become colonized with eleven soil-borne fungal species. The fungi were isolated on cellulose agar, pectin agar and lignin agar media.Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Penicillium capsolatum andFusarium oxysporum had broad occurrence and were recovered on all the three media. The production of hydrolytic enzymes by the isolated fungi depends on the substrate and species.Penicillium capsolatum, P. spinulosum andA. niger had wide enzymatic amplitude and they were able to produce cellulolytic, pectolytic and lignolytic activities on corresponding substrates as well as on seed-coat-containing media. The lignolytic activities of the isolated species exceptChaetomium bostrychodes andTrichoderma viride were enhanced by applying the seed-coat materials as C- source rather than lignin. SoakingR. raetam seeds in culture filtrates of most of the fungi grown on seed-coat-supplemented media induced a pronounced and distinct stimulating effect on seed germination. The most effective filtrates were those ofP. capsolatum, P. spinulosum andSporotrichum pulverulentum.     

MicroRNA在种子发育、休眠与萌发过程中的作用

植物microRNA(miRNA)是一类小分子非编码RNA,对植物的生长发育发挥着重要调控作用。种子发育、休眠与萌发是植物生命进程中的重要阶段。在这一阶段内,种子受各种环境因子及内源激素调控,并且不同植物种子具有不同发育及休眠特性。随着人们对种子发育、休眠及萌发机理的探究,越来越多miRNA被鉴定,它们能够基于植物激素信号传导、抗氧化作用、关键转录因子调控等途径参与种子形态建成、物质代谢及各种胁迫响应。本文主要综述了近年来植物miRNA的形成及调控机理,以及在种子发育、休眠及萌发过程中发挥的调控作用,旨在为今后的研究方向提供参考。     

Colonization of cucumber seeds by bacteria during germination

Detailed analysis revealed fundamental differences between bacterial association with cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seeds and seedlings roots. Seed colonization by bacteria seems to result from passive encounter between bacteria, conveyed by imbibed soil solution, and the germinating seed. In accordance, the seed-associated bacterial community composition directly reflected that of the germination medium and was characterized by low dominance. Transition from seed to root was marked by a shift in bacterial community composition and in an increase in dominance values. Furthermore, settlement of bacteria on roots was tightly controlled by the specific properties of each root segment. Size and richness of the seed-associated bacterial community were clearly determinate by the community in the germination medium. In contrast, for fully developed and active roots, the medium effect on these parameters was negligible. Perturbation of the seed environment by a pathogen (Pythium aphanidermatum) had major consequences on the seed bacterial community. However, those were mostly related to direct pathogen-bacteria rather than seed-bacteria interactions. In conclusion, simple, even passive processes may determine the initial stage of plant-microbe association during seed germination, prior to extension of the primary root. Therefore, seed germination is a unique phase in the plant life cycle, with respect to its interaction with the below-ground microbiome.     

The relationship between beta-mannosidase and endo-beta-mannanase activities in tomato seeds during and following germination: a comparison of seed populations and individual seeds

beta-Mannosidase and endo-beta-mannanase are involved in the mobilization of the mannan-containing cell walls of the tomato seed endosperm. The activities of both enzymes increase in a similar temporal manner in the micropylar and lateral endosperm during and following germination. This increase in enzyme activities in the micropylar endosperm is not markedly reduced in seeds imbibed in abscisic acid although, in the lateral endosperm, endo-beta-mannanase activity is more suppressed by this inhibitor than is the activity of beta-mannosidase. Gibberellin-deficient (gib-1) mutants of tomato do not germinate unless imbibed in gibberellin; low beta-mannosidase activity, and no endo-beta-mannanase activity is present in seeds imbibed in water, but both enzymes increase strongly in activity in the seeds imbibed in the growth regulator. For production of full activity of both beta-mannosidase and endo-beta-mannanase in the endosperm, this tissue must be in contact with the embryo for at least the first 6 h of imbibition, which is indicative of a stimulus diffusing from the embryo to the endosperm during this time. These results suggest some correlation between the activities of beta-mannosidase and endo-beta-mannanase, particularly in the micropylar endosperm, in populations of tomato seeds imbibed in water, abscisic acid and gibberellin. However, when individual micropylar endosperm parts are used to examine the effect of the growth regulators and of imbibition in water on the production of the two enzymes, it is apparent that within these individual seed parts there may be large differences in the amount of enzyme activity present. Micropylar endosperms with high endo-beta-mannanase activity do not necessarily have high beta-mannosidase activity, and vice versa, which is indicative of a lack of co-ordination of the activities of these two enzymes within individuals of a population.     

The influence of temperature during seed development on the germination characteristics of millet seeds

Abstract. The cardinal temperatures, rate of germination and final percentage germination of pearl millet seeds were measured for seeds raised in greenhouses maintained at mean air temperatures of 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31°C. The results showed that cardinal temperatures for germination are unaffected by the temperature during seed development and growth. However, the conditions during seed growth did affect seed size and, subsequently, germination rate and seed viability.     

Location of sugars in barley seeds during germination by NMR microscopy

The distribution and fluctuation of sugars in germinating barley seeds were examined by ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, ¹H-NMR imaging and ¹H-NMR localized spectroscopy in relation to morphology. Maltose, sucrose, fructose and oils were detected in intact imbibed seeds by ¹³C-NMR spectra. During the first 6 d of germination, the maltose content increased and the oil content gradually decreased, whilst the levels of sucrose and fructose remained constant. Sugars were located by ¹H-NMR images and ¹H-NMR localized spectra in the vascular bundle of the seeds as well as in the solubilized endosperm. They were also detected in the shoots. The sugars detected in an 80% ethanol shoot extract were sucrose and glucose, which were located in the vascular bundles but not in the mesophyll cells of the coleoptile. They were also located in the basal part of the shoot, but not above 7 mm from the scutellum. The data suggest that the sugars are primarily transported through the vascular bundles and, at the same time, rapidly incorporated into mesophyll cells in the leaves.     

AtPER1 enhances primary seed dormancy and reduces seed germination by suppressing the ABA catabolism and GA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seeds

Seed is vital to the conservation of germplasm and plant biodiversity. Seed dormancy is an adaptive trait in numerous seed‐plant species, enabling plants to survive under stressful conditions. Seed dormancy is mainly controlled by abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) and can be classified as primary and secondary seed dormancy. The primary seed dormancy is induced by maternal ABA. Here we found that AtPER1, a seed‐specific peroxiredoxin, is involved in enhancing primary seed dormancy. Two loss‐of‐function atper1 mutants, atper1‐1 and atper1‐2, displayed suppressed primary seed dormancy accompanied with reduced ABA and increased GA contents in seeds. Furthermore, atper1 mutant seeds were insensitive to abiotic stresses during seed germination. The expression of several ABA catabolism genes (CYP707A1, CYP707A2, and CYP707A3) and GA biosynthesis genes (GA20ox1, GA20ox3, and KAO3) in atper1 mutant seeds was increased compared to wild‐type seeds. The suppressed primary seed dormancy of atper1‐1 was completely reduced by deletion of CYP707A genes. Furthermore, loss‐of‐function of AtPER1 cannot enhance the seed germination ratio of aba2‐1 or ga1‐t, suggesting that AtPER1‐enhanced primary seed dormancy is dependent on ABA and GA. Additionally, the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in atper1 mutant seeds was significantly higher than that in wild‐type seeds. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AtPER1 eliminates ROS to suppress ABA catabolism and GA biosynthesis, and thus improves the primary seed dormancy and make the seeds less sensitive to adverse environmental conditions.     

Patterns of protein oxidation in Arabidopsis seeds and during germination

Increased cellular levels of reactive oxygen species are known to occur during seed development and germination, but the consequences in terms of protein degradation are poorly characterized. In this work, protein carbonylation, which is an irreversible oxidation process leading to a loss of function of the modified proteins, has been analyzed by a proteomic approach during the first stages of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seed germination. In the dry mature seeds, the legumin-type globulins (12S cruciferins) were the major targets. However, the acidic alpha-cruciferin subunits were carbonylated to a much higher extent than the basic (beta) ones, consistent with a model in which the beta-subunits are buried within the cruciferin molecules and the alpha-subunits are more exposed to the outside. During imbibition, various carbonylated proteins accumulated. This oxidation damage was not evenly distributed among seed proteins and targeted specific proteins as glycolytic enzymes, mitochondrial ATP synthase, chloroplastic ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large chain, aldose reductase, methionine synthase, translation factors, and several molecular chaperones. Although accumulation of carbonylated proteins is usually considered in the context of aging in a variety of model systems, this was clearly not the case for the Arabidopsis seeds since they germinated at a high rate and yielded vigorous plantlets. The results indicate that the observed specific changes in protein carbonylation patterns are probably required for counteracting and/or utilizing the production of reactive oxygen species caused by recovery of metabolic activity in the germinating seeds.