Fig. 4.

Methionine (Met) derived from AtMS1 positively regulates seed germination in Arabidopsis. (A) qRT-PCR analysis of AtMS1, AtMS2, and AtMS3 expression at 0–48 h during seed germination. Wild-type (WT) seeds were incubated in the dark at 4 °C for 3 d and transferred to a growth chamber at 22 °C for 0–48 h prior to the analysis. Expression is relative to that of ACTIN2. (B) Expression patterns of AtMS1 in seed embryos as indicated by AtMS1pro::GUS. The seeds were stratified and incubated in a growth chamber at 22 °C for 0 h or 24 h before GUS staining, and images were taken after the removal of seed coats. Representative images are shown. (C) Met contents in WT and Atms1 seeds. Seeds were incubated at 22 °C for 0 h or 24 h prior to the analysis. (D) The ratio of Met content at 24 h versus at 0 h at 22 °C in WT and Atms1 seeds based on the results in (C). (E) Germination of WT and Atms1 seeds. Germination was scored after incubation at 22 °C for 36 h. (F) Germination of WT and Atms1 seeds with or without treatment with L-Met. Seeds were scored for germination after incubation at 22 °C for 36 h. All data are means (±SE) from three replicates. Significant differences were determined using Student’s t-test: *P<0.05, **P<0.01. (This figure is available in colour at JXB online.)