title: Cytokinins and Expression of SWEET, SUT, CWINV and AAP Genes Increase as Pea Seeds Germinate.
abstract: Transporter genes and cytokinins are key targets for crop improvement. These genes are active during the development of the seed and its establishment as a strong sink. However, during germination, the seed transitions to being a source for the developing root and shoot. To determine if the sucrose transporter (SUT), amino acid permease (AAP), Sugar Will Eventually be Exported Transporter (SWEET), cell wall invertase (CWINV), cytokinin biosynthesis (IPT), activation (LOG) and degradation (CKX) gene family members are involved in both the sink and source activities of seeds, we used RT-qPCR to determine the expression of multiple gene family members, and LC-MS/MS to ascertain endogenous cytokinin levels in germinatingPisum sativumL. We show that genes that are actively expressed when the seed is a strong sink during its development, are also expressed when the seed is in the reverse role of being an active source during germination and early seedling growth. Cytokinins were detected in the imbibing seeds and were actively biosynthesised during germination. We conclude that, when the above gene family members are targeted for seed yield improvement, a downstream effect on subsequent seed germination or seedling vigour must be taken into consideration.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. paula.jameson@canterbury.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Paula E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Jameson
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. prapthis@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Pragatheswari
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dhandapani
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Institute of Experimental Botany CAS & Faculty of Science of Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic. ondrej.novak@upol.cz.
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. jcsong88@yahoo.com.|School of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China. jcsong88@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jiancheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000201:enzymology; D003583:Cytokinins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018525:Germination / Q000235:genetics*; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000235:genetics; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems; D003583:Cytokinins; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase
keywords: Pisum sativum; cytokinin; germination