Dormancy of Medicago marina (L.) seed

► Medicago marina seed dormancy is due to the presence of a hard seed coat. ► Seed-coat dormancy is removed by scarification and freezing, but not by heating. ► Seed might differently modulate ABA content in response to stress and germination. ► Seed have complex mechanism to control dormancy and to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental and experimental botany 2011-09, Vol.72 (2), p.320-329
Main Authors: Scippa, G.S., Petrollini, E., Trupiano, D., Rocco, M., Falco, G., Di Michele, M., Chiatante, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abscisic acid
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Germination and dormancy
Medicago
Medicago marina
Physical dormancy
Plant physiology and development
Proteomics
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Summary:► Medicago marina seed dormancy is due to the presence of a hard seed coat. ► Seed-coat dormancy is removed by scarification and freezing, but not by heating. ► Seed might differently modulate ABA content in response to stress and germination. ► Seed have complex mechanism to control dormancy and to protect cellular structures. Medicago marina (L.) is a Mediterranean species whose seeds show strong dormancy that prevents germination. We used an integrated approach of physiological analyses and proteomics to investigate the mechanisms that control M. marina dormancy/germination and that underlie stress tolerance. First, we evaluated the effects on dormancy breaking of the following treatments: mechanical scarification, freezing at −20 °C, storage for 4 months and heating at 100 °C for 1 h. Mechanical scarification and freezing were the most effective treatments in overcoming dormancy. The role of abscisic acid (ABA) in M. marina dormancy was studied by ELISA immuno-enzymatic assay. The ABA content of germinated and non-germinated mature (control) and treated seeds was determined. The level of ABA was higher in treated seeds than in control seeds; the most significant increase occurred in the heated seeds. A comparison of the ABA level in the germinated, control and treated seeds suggests that different mechanisms modulate ABA content in response to different stresses, and that a specific ABA-signalling pathway regulates germination. Proteomic analysis revealed 46 proteins differentially expressed between treated and untreated seeds; 14 of these proteins were subsequently identified by mass spectrometry. Several of the proteins identified are important factors in the stress response, and are involved in such diverse functions as lipid metabolism, protein folding and chromatin protection. Lastly, an analysis of the phosphoproteome maps showed that the function of many proteins in seeds subjected to temperature treatment is modulated through post-translational modifications.
ISSN:0098-8472
1873-7307
DOI:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2011.04.005