title: Three endo-β-mannanase genes expressed in the micropylar endosperm and in the radicle influence germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds.
abstract: Mannans are hemicellulosic polysaccharides in the plant primary cell wall (CW). Mature seeds, specially their endosperm cells, have CWs rich in mannan-based polymers that confer a strong mechanical resistance for the radicle protrusion upon germination. The rupture of the seed coat and endosperm are two sequential events during the germination of Arabidopsis thaliana. Endo-β-mannanases (MAN; EC. 3.2.1.78) are hydrolytic enzymes that catalyze cleavage of β1 → 4 bonds in the mannan-polymer. In the genome of Arabidopsis, the endo-β-mannanase (MAN) family is represented by eight members. The expression of these eight MAN genes has been systematically explored in different organs of this plant and only four of them (AtMAN7, AtMAN6, AtMAN2 and AtMAN5) are expressed in the germinating seeds. Moreover, in situ hybridization analysis shows that their transcript accumulation is restricted to the micropylar endosperm and to the radicle and this expression disappears soon after radicle emergence. T-DNA insertion mutants in these genes (K.O. MAN7, K.O. MAN6, K.O. MAN5), except that corresponding to AtMAN2 (K.O. MAN2), germinate later than the wild type (Wt). K.O. MAN6 is the most affected in the germination time course with a t (50) almost double than that of the Wt. These data suggest that AtMAN7, AtMAN5 and specially AtMAN6 are important for the germination of A. thaliana seeds by facilitating the hydrolysis of the mannan-rich endosperm cell walls.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Fernández
authors.forename: María Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Gacio
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrero-Sicilia
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carbonero
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matilla
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D056625:Endosperm / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D018525:Germination / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008361:Mannosidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013997:Time Factors; D044902:beta-Mannosidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C036483:T-DNA; D008361:Mannosidases; D044902:beta-Mannosidase; C585243:MAN7 protein, Arabidopsis