Zhang, Xue
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Translation of seed stored mRNAs is essential to trigger germination. However, when RNAPII re-engages RNA synthesis during the seed-to-seedling transition has remained in question. Combining csRNA-seq, ATAC-seq and smFISH in Arabidopsis thaliana we demonstrate that active transcription initiation is detectable during the entire germination process. Features of non-coding regulation such as dynamic changes in chromatin accessible regions, antisense transcription, as well as bidirectional non-coding promoters are widespread throughout the Arabidopsis genome. We show that sensitivity to exogenous ABSCISIC ACID (ABA) during germination depends on proximal promoter accessibility at ABA-responsive genes. Moreover, we provide genetic validation of the existence of divergent transcription in plants. Our results reveal that active enhancer elements are transcribed producing non-coding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) as widely documented in metazoans. In sum, this study defining the extent and role of coding and non-coding transcription during key stages of germination expands our understanding of transcriptional mechanisms underlying plant developmental transitions.Seed germination in plants is a tightly controlled process relying on translation of stored RNAs. Here, Tremblay et al. show that nascent transcriptome and epigenome reprogramming are detected from initial stages of germination.
Published in
Nature Communications
2024, volume: 15, number: 1, article number: 1724
SLU Authors
Rosa, Stefanie
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
UKÄ Subject classification
Plant Biotechnology
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46082-5
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/131406