光调控植物种子萌发分子机制研究进展

Research Progress of the Molecular Mechanisms of Light-regulated Plant Seed Germination

摘要:

萌发是种子植物进入农业生态系统的重要发育阶段。对于需光类种子，光是调控其萌发最重要的环境信号因子之一，红光促进而远红光抑制种子萌发。光敏色素是调控种子萌发的主要光受体。活化的光敏色素诱导萌发主效抑制因子PIF1发生蛋白降解，调节赤霉素和脱落酸代谢和信号途径相关基因的表达，从而促进种子的萌发。同时，一系列的表观遗传因子通过改变染色质结构，动态调节萌发相关基因的表达从而影响种子的萌发进程。该论文重点论述了光调控种子萌发的转录及表观遗传机制研究进展，并对其在农业生产中的应用进行了展望。

Abstract:

Germination is the key development stage for seed plants entering the agricultural ecosystem. For light-requiring seeds, light is one of the most important environmental signals regulating germination. Red light promotes, whereas far-red light inhibits seed germination. Phytochromes are the major photoreceptors that regulate seed germination. Activated phytochromes promote the degradation of Phytochrome-Interacting-Factor 1 (PIF1), the master repressor of germination, to regulate the expression of genes related to gibberellin and abscisic metabolism and signaling pathways, leading to the initiation of seed germination. Furthermore, a series of epigenetic factors dynamically affect the chromatin structure of germination-related genes and regulate their expression to modulate seed germination process. Here, we summarize the progress, especially the transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms in light-regulated seed germination, and discuss their applications in agricultural production in future.