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Promotion of testa rupture during garden cress germination involves seed compartment-specific expression and activity
Claudia Scheler1, Karin Weitbrecht1, Simon P Pearce1
1Botany and Plant Physiology, Institute for Biology II, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany (C.S., K.W., A.B.-M., K.O., G.L.-M.);Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany (C.S.);Staatliches Weinbauinstitut Freiburg, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany (K.W.);Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (S.P.P., A.H., A.T.A.W., J.R.K., M.J.H.) and Division of Plant and Crop Science (S.P.P., M.J.H., K.M.), School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, United Kingdom;School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom (S.P.P., A.H., A.T.A.W., J.R.K.)Agroscope, Institute for Plant Production Sciences, Seed Quality, CH-8046 Zurich, Switzerland (A.B.-M.);Centre for Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom (K.J.D.L., J.P.K.);National Institute for Health Research Trainees Coordinating Centre, Leeds Innovation Centre, Leeds LS2 9DF, United Kingdom (K.J.D.L.);School of Biological Sciences, Plant Molecular Science and Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, United Kingdom (A.V., G.L.-M.);Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland (K.O.);Wageningen Seed Laboratory, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, NL-6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands (B.J.W.D., L.B.);College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China (X.W.); andLaboratory of Growth Regulators, Faculty of Science, Palacký University and Institute of Experimental Botany, CZ-783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic (G.L.-M.).
Abstract:
Pectin methylesterase (PME) controls the methylesterification status of pectins and thereby determines the biophysical properties of plant cell walls, which are important for tissue growth and weakening processes. We demonstrate here that tissue-specific and spatiotemporal alterations in cell wall pectin methylesterification occur during the germination of garden cress (Lepidium sativum). These cell wall changes are associated with characteristic expression patterns of PME genes and resultant enzyme activities in the key seed compartments CAP (micropylar endosperm) and RAD (radicle plus lower hypocotyl). Transcriptome and quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis as well as PME enzyme activity measurements of separated seed compartments, including CAP and RAD, revealed distinct phases during germination. These were associated with hormonal and compartment-specific regulation of PME group 1, PME group 2, and PME inhibitor transcript expression and total PME activity. The regulatory patterns indicated a role for PME activity in testa rupture (TR). Consistent with a role for cell wall pectin methylesterification in TR, treatment of seeds with PME resulted in enhanced testa permeability and promoted TR. Mathematical modeling of transcript expression changes in germinating garden cress and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seeds suggested that group 2 PMEs make a major contribution to the overall PME activity rather than acting as PME inhibitors. It is concluded that regulated changes in the degree of pectin methylesterification through CAP- and RAD-specific PME and PME inhibitor expression play a crucial role during Brassicaceae seed germination.
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