Global attention to awaken seed genes

November 09, 2024

Plant seeds germinate under conditions such as moisture and temperature. During this process, the metabolism of some chemicals in the seeds becomes active. How to control plant seed germination and material metabolism activities has become a frontier issue that is highly concerned by biotechnological experts globally. Japan and South Korea have discovered that awakening seed genes Japanese scientists recently found a gene that can speed up the process of chemical metabolism in seeds and rejuvenate seeds from deep sleep. There is a plant hormone called abscisic acid in the plant that can make the plant leaves fall off and the plant to go into hibernation. When the seed is dormant, this plant hypnotic drug begins to accumulate in the seed. After the seed absorbs water, the accumulating abscisic acid is metabolized and decomposed, and the seed germinates quickly. Previous studies have shown that a hydroxylated hydroxyl group can hydroxylate the methyl group in the 8th carbon atom of the carbon chain during the process of abscisic acid metabolism, thereby inactivating abscisic acid.
In this new study, scientists at the Institute of Botanical Sciences of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research used Arabidopsis thaliana as an experimental material to start searching for genes encoding the hydroxylation of ABA. They found that the four subtypes of the gene CYP707A are related to the synthesis of this hydroxylated glycoside. Among these four genes, only CYP707A2 was particularly active when the seeds germinated, and the seeds lacking this gene were particularly sluggish and did not see germination. The scientists thus concluded that the CYP707A2 gene is the key to releasing the seed from dormancy.
At the beginning of April this year, the Korean Hanong Chemical Company, a Korean company engaged in the production of agricultural chemical products, announced that the company’s researchers have discovered genetic genes (MDmads14, MdMADS16) that can promote plant seed germination and have applied for national patents.
According to reports, these genes are found in the pistil of apples. Adjusting these genetic genes can advance the timing of seed germination, thereby shortening the cultivation time of crops that take longer to germinate, such as ginseng. Eastern Hanong Chemicals believes that this can increase the germination rate of crop seeds and increase crop yields. It is reported that this research project lasted for three years and the total investment was over 200 million won. The research team will provide information on these genetic genes to the United States Genetic Bank.
Solving important agricultural issues Regulating seed germination time is an important agricultural issue of global concern. Take wheat as an example. Sometimes due to the weather, the wheat grains on the wheat ears will germinate before harvesting, and the starch and protein stored in the wheat grains will be decomposed and the quality will be greatly reduced.
Scientists involved in the study speculated that genes other than CYP707A subtypes also exist in plants other than Arabidopsis thaliana. If we can develop substances that inhibit the activity of the CYP707A2 gene, we can overcome these difficulties. In addition, abscisic acid is also a signal substance for adaptive response of plants to drought, low temperature, etc. Scientists plan to adjust the amount of abscisic acid synthesized by plants from the gene level, and cultivate new varieties that are resistant to drought and low temperatures. The MDmads14 found in Korea, MdMADS16 genetic genes may also exist in other fruit and economic crop species, which will help promote the breeding of these crops, cultivation and other series of technologies.

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