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Antisense transcription represses Arabidopsis seed dormancy QTL DOG 1 to regulate drought tolerance
Author(s) -
Yatusevich Ruslan,
Fedak Halina,
Ciesielski Arkadiusz,
Krzyczmonik Katarzyna,
Kulik Anna,
Dobrowolska Grazyna,
Swiezewski Szymon
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.15252/embr.201744862
Subject(s) - abscisic acid , arabidopsis , biology , seed dormancy , quantitative trait locus , dormancy , germination , transcription factor , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription (linguistics) , genetics , botany , gene , mutant , linguistics , philosophy
Abstract Plants have developed multiple strategies to sense the external environment and to adapt growth accordingly. Delay of germination 1 ( DOG 1 ) is a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for seed dormancy strength in Arabidopsis thaliana that is reported to be expressed exclusively in seeds. DOG 1 is extensively regulated, with an antisense transcript ( as DOG 1 ) suppressing its expression in seeds. Here, we show that as DOG 1 shows high levels in mature plants where it suppresses DOG 1 expression under standard growth conditions. Suppression is released by shutting down antisense transcription, which is induced by the plant hormone abscisic acid ( ABA ) and drought. Loss of as DOG 1 results in constitutive high‐level DOG 1 expression, conferring increased drought tolerance, while inactivation of DOG 1 causes enhanced drought sensitivity. The unexpected role of DOG 1 in environmental adaptation of mature plants is separate from its function in seed dormancy regulation. The requirement of as DOG 1 to respond to ABA and drought demonstrates that antisense transcription is important for sensing and responding to environmental changes in plants.