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Dormancy removal in apple embryos by nitric oxide or cyanide involves modifications in ethylene biosynthetic pathway

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Abstract

The connection between classical phytohormone-ethylene and two signaling molecules, nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), was investigated in dormancy removal and germination “sensu stricto” of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) embryos. Deep dormancy of apple embryos was removed by short-term (3–6 h) pre-treatment with NO or HCN. NO- or HCN-mediated stimulation of germination was associated with enhanced emission of ethylene by the embryos, coupled with transient increase in ROS concentration in embryos. Ethylene vapors stimulated germination of dormant apple embryos and eliminated morphological anomalies characteristic for young seedlings developed from dormant embryos. Inhibitors of ethylene receptors completely impeded beneficial effect of NO and HCN on embryo germination. NO- and HCN-induced ethylene emission by apple embryo was only slightly reduced by inhibitor of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase activity during first 4 days of germination. Short-term pre-treatment of the embryos with NO and HCN modified activity of both key enzymes of ethylene biosynthetic pathway: ACC synthase and ACC oxidase. Activity of ACC synthase declined during first 4 days of germination, while activity of ACC oxidase increased markedly at that time. Additional experiments point to non-enzymatic conversion of ACC to ethylene in the presence of ROS (H2O2). The results indicate that NO and HCN may alleviate dormancy of apple embryos “via” transient accumulation of ROS, leading to enhanced ethylene emission which is required to terminate germination “sensu stricto”. Therefore, ethylene seems to be a trigger factor in control of apple embryo dormancy removal and germination.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

ACC:

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid

ACO:

ACC oxidase

ACS:

ACC synthase

Aib:

α-Amino-isobutyric acid

AVG:

Aminoethoxyvinylglycine

cPTIO:

2-(4-Carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide

HCN:

Hydrogen cyanide

NBD:

Norbornadien

NO:

Nitric oxide

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SAM:

S-Adenosyl-l-methionine

SNP:

Sodium nitroprusside

STS:

Silver thiosulfate

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grant N N303 0905 34 founded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland.

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  1. Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Science-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland

    Agnieszka Gniazdowska, Urszula Krasuska & Renata Bogatek

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  1. Agnieszka Gniazdowska
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  2. Urszula Krasuska
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  3. Renata Bogatek
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Correspondence to Agnieszka Gniazdowska.

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Gniazdowska, A., Krasuska, U. & Bogatek, R. Dormancy removal in apple embryos by nitric oxide or cyanide involves modifications in ethylene biosynthetic pathway. Planta 232, 1397–1407 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-010-1262-2

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