Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 16, 2026

Measuring Gene Expression in Bombarded Barley Aleurone Layers with Increased Throughput
Published on: March 30, 2018
Germination-Related Universal Stress Protein (GRUSP) Is Involved in Abscisic Acid Responses During Imbibition and
Elena S Pojidaeva1, Darya S Gorshkova1, Natalia V Kudryakova1
1K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, 35 Botanicheskaya St., Moscow 127276, Russia.
Abstract:
The universal stress protein (USP) family is a large but poorly studied group of plant proteins whose roles are considered primarily in the context of stress tolerance. This study demonstrates that the functions of USPs are not limited to the stress response but also influence plant developmental processes, namely, the regulation of seed germination and seedling establishment. Using reverse genetics, we found that disruption of the Arabidopsis thaliana At3g58450 gene, encoding germination-related USP (GRUSP), results in delayed germination and abscisic acid (ABA) hypersensitivity in the mutant the GABI-kat 115C08 (grusp-115) knockout line. This hypersensitivity was only partially rescued by the application of fluridone, an ABA biosynthesis inhibitor. Altered ABA content and expression patterns of genes involved in ABA metabolism and signaling, along with a decrease in the mRNA levels of gibberellin (GA) oxidases in dry and either Murashige and Skoog (MS)- or ABA-imbibed mutant seeds, indicate that GRUSP function is primarily associated with seed imbibition and early germination stages. Furthermore, the grusp-115 mutant showed upregulation of ABI5 transcripts in imbibed seeds and seedlings as well as an accumulation of ABI5 protein level under excess GA conditions, indicating a functional relationship between these proteins. Hence, GRUSP is a novel component of the GA and ABA pathways whose function is initiated during seed germination.
More Related Videos
08:52A Seed Coat Bedding Assay to Genetically Explore In Vitro How the Endosperm Controls Seed Germination in Arabidopsis thaliana
Published on: November 9, 2013
06:28Preparation of Intact Tissue for Microscopic Analysis of the Endosperm Cell Layer in Developing and Mature Arabidopsis Seeds
Published on: May 16, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata
Cell Signaling in Plants
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Responses to Salt Stress