title: Abscisic acid and ethephon regulation of cellulase in the endosperm cap and radicle during lettuce seed germination.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of cellulase in endosperm cap weakening and radicle elongation during lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seed germination. The application of abscisic acid (ABA) or ethephon inhibits or promotes germination, respectively, by affecting endosperm cap weakening and radicle elongation. Cellulase activities, and related protein and transcript abundances of two lettuce cellulase genes, LsCEL1 and LsCEL2, increase in the endosperm cap and radicle prior to radicle protrusion following imbibition in water. ABA or ethephon reduce or elevate, respectively, cellulase activity, and related protein and transcript abundances in the endosperm cap. Taken together, these observations suggest that cellulase plays a role in endosperm cap weakening and radicle elongation during lettuce seed germination, and that the regulation of cellulase in the endosperm cap by ABA and ethephon play a role in endosperm cap weakening. However, the influence of ABA and ethephon on radicle elongation may not be through their effects on cellulase.
authors.affiliation: Seed Science and Technology Lab, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.|Agro-biological Gene Research Center, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Bingxian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Seed Science and Technology Lab, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Seed Science and Technology Lab, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Zhenjiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Seed Science and Technology Lab, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. xfwang@scau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002480:Cellulase / Q000378:metabolism*; D056625:Endosperm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects; D018545:Lactuca / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012639:Seeds / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D000040:Abscisic Acid; D002480:Cellulase; C005073:ethephon
keywords: Abscisic acid; cellulase; endosperm cap weakening; ethephon; lettuce seed germination