Metabolic and gene expression hallmarks of seed germination uncovered by sodium butyrate in Medicago truncatula. (11th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pagano, Andrea; de Sousa Araújo, Susana; Macovei, Anca; Dondi, Daniele; Lazzaroni, Simone; Balestrazzi, Alma
• Is Part Of: Plant, cell and environment. Volume 42:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 259
• Page End: 269
• Publication Date: 2018-06-11
• Subjects: comet assay -- DNA damage response -- electron paramagnetic resonance -- histone deacetylase inhibitor -- legume seeds -- metabolomics -- seed germination -- sodium butyrate; Plant physiology -- Periodicals; Plant cells and tissues -- Periodicals; Plant communities -- Periodicals; 581.105
• DOI: 10.1111/pce.13342
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-7791

Abstract

Abstract: Because high‐quality seeds are essential for successful crop production in challenging environments, understanding the molecular bases of seed vigour will lead to advances in seed technology. Histone deacetylase inhibitors, promoting histone hyperacetylation, are used as tools to explore aspects still uncovered of the abiotic stress response in plants. The aim of this work was to investigate novel signatures of seed germination in Medicago truncatula, using the histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate (NaB) as stress agent. NaB‐treated and untreated seeds collected at 2 and 8 hr of imbibition and at the radicle protrusion stage underwent molecular phenotyping and nontargeted metabolome profiling. Quantitative enrichment analysis revealed the influence of NaB on seed nucleotide, amino acid, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism. Up‐regulation of antioxidant and polyamine biosynthesis genes occurred in response to NaB. DNA damage evidenced in NaB‐treated seeds correlated with up‐regulation of base‐excision repair genes. Changes in N 1 ‐methyladenosine and N 1 ‐methylguanine were associated with up‐regulation of MtALKBH1 (alkylation repair homolog) gene. N 2, N 2 ‐dimethylguanosine and 5‐methylcytidine, tRNA modifications involved in the post‐transcriptional regulation of DNA damage response, were also accumulated in NaB‐treated seeds at the radicle protrusion stage. The observed changes in seed metabolism can provide novel potential metabolic hallmarks of germination. Abstract : In this work, we disclose novel signatures of seed germination in the model legume Medicago truncatula, using the histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate (NaB) as stress agent. Reactive oxygen species‐independent enhancement of the antioxidant response was observed in NaB‐treated M . truncatula seeds, whereas comet assay provided evidence of DNA damage accumulation. The 3‐ureidopropionate, one of the metabolites that mostly contributed to the separation between untreated and NaB‐treated seeds, might represents a hallmark of pyrimidine degradation rising from DNA damage. Whereas metabolites resulting from DNA damage are highly conserved across animal species, their role in the plant kingdom still needs to be assessed. Interestingly, changes in the purine metabolism of NaB‐treated seeds involved N 1 ‐methyladenosine and 1‐methyl N 2, N 2 ‐dimethylguanosine regarded as RNA modifications with regulatory roles in the eukaryotic epitranscriptome. Proper validation of these biomarkers will significantly contribute to establish new seed invigoration treatments.