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Glucose delays seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana

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Abstract

Here we report that glucose delays germination of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. seeds at concentrations below those known to inhibit early seedling development. This inhibition acts on embryo growth and is independent of hexokinase (HXK) function. Hormones and hormone inhibitors were applied to the germination media and several hormone biosynthesis and signalling mutants were tested on glucose media to investigate a possible role of abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin and ethylene in the glucose-induced germination delay. Results indicate that the germination inhibition by glucose cannot be antagonized by ethylene or gibberellin and is independent of the HXK1/ABA/ABI4 signalling cascade. These findings suggest that there is a separate regulatory pathway independent of ABI2/ABI4/ABI5. Thus, in a relatively short time frame sugars utilize different signalling cascades to inhibit germination and post-germination growth, underlining the complexity of sugar responses.

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Fig. 1a–f
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Fig. 3a,b
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Fig. 5a–d
Fig. 6a–f

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Abbreviations

ABA :

Abscisic acid

ABI :

ABA insensitive

ACC :

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid

BR :

Brassinosteroid

CAB :

Chlorophyll a/b-binding protein

FUS3 :

Fusca3

GA :

Gibberellin

GA 3 :

Gibberellic acid

HXK :

Hexokinase

LEC1 :

Leafy cotyledon1

RBCS :

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit

WT :

Wild type

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Acknowledgements

The authors greatly acknowledge B. Verhagen (Phytopathology, University of Utrecht), Dr. T. Peeters (Ecophysiology, University of Utrecht), Dr. J.L. Micol (Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain) and the Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre (NASC) for providing seeds, Frits Kindt for help with photography and the Imageprocessing & Design department (Faculty of Biology, University of Utrecht) for help preparing the figures. This research was supported by the Earth and Life Sciences Foundation subsidized by The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.

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  1. Department of Plant Biology, Molecular Plant Physiology, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Bas J. W. Dekkers, Jolanda A. M. J. Schuurmans & Sjef C. M. Smeekens

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  1. Bas J. W. Dekkers
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  2. Jolanda A. M. J. Schuurmans
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Correspondence to Bas J. W. Dekkers.

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Dekkers, B.J.W., Schuurmans, J.A.M.J. & Smeekens, S.C.M. Glucose delays seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana . Planta 218, 579–588 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1154-9

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