The seed dormancy defect of Arabidopsis mutants lacking the transcript elongation factor TFIIS is caused by reduced expression of the DOG1 gene

FEBS Lett. 2014 Jan 3;588(1):47-51. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.10.047. Epub 2013 Nov 16.

Abstract

TFIIS is a transcript elongation factor that facilitates transcription by RNA polymerase II, as it assists the enzyme to bypass blocks to mRNA synthesis. Previously, we have reported that Arabidopsis plants lacking TFIIS exhibit reduced seed dormancy. Among the genes differentially expressed in tfIIs seeds, the DOG1 gene was identified that is a known QTL for seed dormancy. Here we have analysed plants that overexpress TFIIS in wild type background, or that harbour an additional copy of DOG1 in tfIIs mutant background. These experiments demonstrate that the down-regulation of DOG1 expression causes the seed dormancy phenotype of tfIIs mutants.

Keywords: Chromatin; DAF; DAS; DOG1; QTL; RNA polymerase II; Seed dormancy; TFIIS; Transcript elongation; days after flowering; days after stratification; delay of germination 1; quantitative trait locus; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; rtPCR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics*
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Mutation*
  • Phenotype
  • Plant Dormancy / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Quantitative Trait Loci / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Seeds / genetics*
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • DOG1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors
  • transcription factor S-II