Alternative splicing in ABA signaling during seed germination

Abstract

Seed germination is an essential step in a plant’s life cycle. It is controlled by complex physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms and external factors. Alternative splicing (AS) is a co-transcriptional mechanism that regulates gene expression and produces multiple mRNA variants from a single gene to modulate transcriptome diversity. However, little is known about the effect of AS on the function of generated protein isoforms. The latest reports indicate that alternative splicing (AS), the relevant mechanism controlling gene expression, plays a significant role in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. In this review, we present the current state of the art about the identified AS regulators and the ABA-related changes in AS during seed germination. We show how they are connected with the ABA signaling and the seed germination process. We also discuss changes in the structure of the generated AS isoforms and their impact on the functionality of the generated proteins. Also, we point out that the advances in sequencing technology allow for a better explanation of the role of AS in gene regulation by more accurate detection of AS events and identification of full-length splicing isoforms.

Genome-Wide Analysis Elucidates the Roles of GhTIR1/AFB Genes Reveals the Function of Gh_D08G0763 (GhTIR1) in Cold Stress in G. hirsutum

“…In addition, as one of the important plant hormones, ABA could not only promote seed germination and regulate the rapid response of plants to stress, but also interact with other plant hormones [ 42 , 43 , 44 ]. In this study, the results of cis -acting element analysis showed that most GhTIR1 / AFB genes contained ABA-functional elements, and the results of qRT-PCR after exogenous ABA treatment also proved that multiple GhTIR1 / AFB genes positively responded to ABA, indicating that GhTIR1 / AFBs might be regulated by abscisic acid.…”

BcABF1 Plays a Role in the Feedback Regulation of Abscisic Acid Signaling via the Direct Activation of BcPYL4 Expression in Pakchoi

“…When plants are exposed to environmental stress, ABA rapidly accumulates, enhancing the plant's adaptability to stressful conditions [5]. ABA also participates in regulating various plant developmental processes, including aging, seed germination, and root elongation [6][7][8]. The core components of the ABA signaling pathway include the abscisic acid receptors PYR/PYL/RCAR family; 2C-type protein phosphatase (PP2C) subfamily; and the SnRK2 kinase subfamily [9][10][11].…”