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Three endo-β-mannanase genes expressed in the micropylar endosperm and in the radicle influence germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds

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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.

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Abbreviations

CW:

Cell-wall

ECWE:

Enhancing cell wall extensibility

MAN:

Endo-β-mannanase

ME:

Micropylar endosperm

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by grants from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN, Spain) (CGL2004-01996; CGL2009-11425 and Consolider CSD2007-00057). R I–F and C B–S are supported by post-doctoral contracts from CSD2007-00057 and JdC-UPM (BFU2006-07258), respectively. We thank B. Lueiro for expert technical assistance.

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  1. Departamento de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Raquel Iglesias-Fernández, María Carmen Rodríguez-Gacio & Angel Matilla

  2. Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (UPM-INIA), Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus de Montegancedo, Pozuelo de Alarcón, 28223, Madrid, Spain

    Raquel Iglesias-Fernández, Cristina Barrero-Sicilia & Pilar Carbonero

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  1. Raquel Iglesias-Fernández
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  2. María Carmen Rodríguez-Gacio
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  3. Cristina Barrero-Sicilia
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  5. Angel Matilla
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Correspondence to Angel Matilla.

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Iglesias-Fernández, R., Rodríguez-Gacio, M.C., Barrero-Sicilia, C. et al. Three endo-β-mannanase genes expressed in the micropylar endosperm and in the radicle influence germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds. Planta 233, 25–36 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-010-1257-z

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