Auxin: Hormonal Signal Required for Seed Development and Dormancy

Overview

Journal Plants (Basel)

Date 2020 Jun 5

PMID 32492815

Citations 28

Authors

Angel J Matilla

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The production of viable seeds is a key event in the life cycle of higher plants. Historically, abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GAs) were considered the main hormones that regulate seed formation. However, auxin has recently emerged as an essential player that modulates, in conjunction with ABA, different cellular processes involved in seed development as well as the induction, regulation and maintenance of primary dormancy (PD). This review examines and discusses the key role of auxin as a signaling molecule that coordinates seed life. The cellular machinery involved in the synthesis and transport of auxin, as well as their cellular and tissue compartmentalization, is crucial for the development of the endosperm and seed-coat. Thus, auxin is an essential compound involved in integuments development, and its transport from endosperm is regulated by AGAMOUS-LIKE62 (AGL62) whose transcript is specifically expressed in the endosperm. In addition, recent biochemical and genetic evidence supports the involvement of auxins in PD. In this process, the participation of the transcriptional regulator ABA INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3) is critical, revealing a cross-talk between auxin and ABA signaling. Future experimental aimed at advancing knowledge of the role of auxins in seed development and PD are also discussed.

Citing Articles

Characterization of Main Responsive Genes Reveals Their Regulatory Network Attended by Multi-Biological Metabolic Pathways in Paclobutrazol (PAC)-Modulated Grape Seed Development (GSD) at the Stone-Hardening Stage.

Aziz R, Wei J, Wu Q, Song S, Yang H, Chen X Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(3).

PMID: 39940872 PMC: 11817196. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26031102.

Hormonal regulation and crosstalk during early endosperm and seed coat development.

Pankaj R, Lima R, Figueiredo D Plant Reprod. 2024; 38(1):5.

PMID: 39724433 PMC: 11671439. DOI: 10.1007/s00497-024-00516-8.

Advancing agriculture with functional NM: "pathways to sustainable and smart farming technologies".

Alam M, Junaid P, Gulzar Y, Abebe B, Awad M, Quazi S Discov Nano. 2024; 19(1):197.

PMID: 39636344 PMC: 11621287. DOI: 10.1186/s11671-024-04144-z.

Transcriptional Control of Seed Life: New Insights into the Role of the NAC Family.

Fuertes-Aguilar J, Matilla A Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(10).

PMID: 38791407 PMC: 11121595. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105369.

Unraveling the role of PlARF2 in regulating deed formancy in Paeonia lactiflora.

Duan S, Guan S, Fei R, Sun T, Kang X, Xin R Planta. 2024; 259(6):133.

PMID: 38668881 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04411-4.

References

Ljung K . Auxin metabolism and homeostasis during plant development. Development. 2013; 140(5):943-50. DOI: 10.1242/dev.086363. View

Nonogaki H . Seed germination and dormancy: The classic story, new puzzles, and evolution. J Integr Plant Biol. 2018; 61(5):541-563. DOI: 10.1111/jipb.12762. View

Vanneste S, Friml J . Auxin: a trigger for change in plant development. Cell. 2009; 136(6):1005-16. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.03.001. View

Yan H, Chen D, Wang Y, Sun Y, Zhao J, Sun M . Ribosomal protein L18aB is required for both male gametophyte function and embryo development in Arabidopsis. Sci Rep. 2016; 6:31195. PMC: 4977502. DOI: 10.1038/srep31195. View

Stepanova A, Yun J, Robles L, Novak O, He W, Guo H . The Arabidopsis YUCCA1 flavin monooxygenase functions in the indole-3-pyruvic acid branch of auxin biosynthesis. Plant Cell. 2011; 23(11):3961-73. PMC: 3246335. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.111.088047. View

Bartrina I, Otto E, Strnad M, Werner T, Schmulling T . Cytokinin regulates the activity of reproductive meristems, flower organ size, ovule formation, and thus seed yield in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell. 2011; 23(1):69-80. PMC: 3051259. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.110.079079. View

Cheng Y, Dai X, Zhao Y . Auxin synthesized by the YUCCA flavin monooxygenases is essential for embryogenesis and leaf formation in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell. 2007; 19(8):2430-9. PMC: 2002601. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.107.053009. View

Robert H, Park C, Gutierrez C, Wojcikowska B, Pencik A, Novak O . Maternal auxin supply contributes to early embryo patterning in Arabidopsis. Nat Plants. 2018; 4(8):548-553. PMC: 6076996. DOI: 10.1038/s41477-018-0204-z. View

Chen J, Strieder N, Krohn N, Cyprys P, Sprunck S, Engelmann J . Zygotic Genome Activation Occurs Shortly after Fertilization in Maize. Plant Cell. 2017; 29(9):2106-2125. PMC: 5635985. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.17.00099. View

10.

Zuniga-Mayo V, Reyes-Olalde J, Marsch-Martinez N, de Folter S . Cytokinin treatments affect the apical-basal patterning of the Arabidopsis gynoecium and resemble the effects of polar auxin transport inhibition. Front Plant Sci. 2014; 5:191. PMC: 4030163. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00191. View

11.

Nishimura N, Tsuchiya W, Moresco J, Hayashi Y, Satoh K, Kaiwa N . Control of seed dormancy and germination by DOG1-AHG1 PP2C phosphatase complex via binding to heme. Nat Commun. 2018; 9(1):2132. PMC: 5989226. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04437-9. View

12.

Locascio A, Roig-Villanova I, Bernardi J, Varotto S . Current perspectives on the hormonal control of seed development in Arabidopsis and maize: a focus on auxin. Front Plant Sci. 2014; 5:412. PMC: 4142864. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00412. View

13.

Figueiredo D, Batista R, Roszak P, Kohler C . Auxin production couples endosperm development to fertilization. Nat Plants. 2016; 1:15184. DOI: 10.1038/nplants.2015.184. View

14.

Li X, Chen T, Li Y, Wang Z, Cao H, Chen F . ETR1/RDO3 Regulates Seed Dormancy by Relieving the Inhibitory Effect of the ERF12-TPL Complex on Expression. Plant Cell. 2019; 31(4):832-847. PMC: 6501604. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00449. View

15.

Coen O, Magnani E . Seed coat thickness in the evolution of angiosperms. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2018; 75(14):2509-2518. PMC: 6003975. DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2816-x. View

16.

Duarte K, de Souza W, Santiago T, Sampaio B, Ribeiro A, Cotta M . Identification and characterization of core abscisic acid (ABA) signaling components and their gene expression profile in response to abiotic stresses in Setaria viridis. Sci Rep. 2019; 9(1):4028. PMC: 6411973. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40623-5. View

17.

Dekkers B, He H, Hanson J, Willems L, Jamar D, Cueff G . The Arabidopsis DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 gene affects ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) expression and genetically interacts with ABI3 during Arabidopsis seed development. Plant J. 2016; 85(4):451-65. DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13118. View

18.

Palovaara J, de Zeeuw T, Weijers D . Tissue and Organ Initiation in the Plant Embryo: A First Time for Everything. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2016; 32:47-75. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-111315-124929. View

19.

Carrillo-Barral N, Rodriguez-Gacio M, Matilla A . Delay of Germination-1 (DOG1): A Key to Understanding Seed Dormancy. Plants (Basel). 2020; 9(4). PMC: 7238029. DOI: 10.3390/plants9040480. View

20.

Penfield S . Seed dormancy and germination. Curr Biol. 2017; 27(17):R874-R878. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.050. View