Reactive Oxygen Species as Potential Drivers of the Seed Aging Process

Abstract

Seeds are an important life cycle stage because they guarantee plant survival in unfavorable environmental conditions and the transfer of genetic information from parents to offspring. However, similar to every organ, seeds undergo aging processes that limit their viability and ultimately cause the loss of their basic property, i.e., the ability to germinate. Seed aging is a vital economic and scientific issue that is related to seed resistance to an array of factors, both internal (genetic, structural, and physiological) and external (mainly storage conditions: temperature and humidity). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are believed to initiate seed aging via the degradation of cell membrane phospholipids and the structural and functional deterioration of proteins and genetic material. Researchers investigating seed aging claim that the effective protection of genetic resources requires an understanding of the reasons for senescence of seeds with variable sensitivity to drying and long-term storage. Genomic integrity considerably affects seed viability and vigor. The deterioration of nucleic acids inhibits transcription and translation and exacerbates reductions in the activity of antioxidant system enzymes. All of these factors significantly limit seed viability.

Conserved and Opposite Transcriptome Patterns during Germination in Hordeum vulgare and Arabidopsis thaliana

“…The energy to drive germination is derived from heterotrophic sources until photosynthesis can be established after imbibition. While mitochondria have been shown to play a critical role in germination in Arabidopsis [ 28 , 42 , 43 , 44 ] and seed aging, which is linked to changes in mitochondrial function [ 28 , 45 ], the role of mitochondria in Arabidopsis at a biochemical level has not been analyzed, simply due to the small size and ability to obtain sufficient mitochondria for analyses from embryos. This was possible in barley by using ≈700 embryos to obtain sufficient purified mitochondria for biochemical analyses, with 0.5 to 1.5 mg of mitochondria obtained from dry embryo to grains imbibed for 48 h. These analyses can also be compared to previous studies in rice and maize [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 25 ].…”

Application of the MSAP Technique to Evaluate Epigenetic Changes in Plant Conservation

“…Seed ageing has been described as the loss of seed quality overtime. Several physiological and biochemical changes have been associated with seed ageing: reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, lipid peroxidation, membrane phospholipids loss, decrease in the activity of antioxidant enzymes [ 50 , 51 ], impaired protein synthesis, protein inactivation, changes in enzyme activities, protein hydrolysis, and post-translational modifications [ 48 , 52 ], among others. ROS interact with cellular biomolecules, and can cause serious oxidative damage to proteins, nucleic acids and lipids [ 53 , 54 ].…”

Transcriptomic Insights into Mechanisms of Early Seed Maturation in the Garden Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

“…Finally, the desiccation stage denotes the cessation of seed growth and intense metabolic activity. Seeds diminish in linear sizes and undergo dehydration, which triggers the expression of stress-related genes, including DNA reparation enzymes [13], ROS scavengers [14], and protein unfolding and aggregation inhibitors, such as LATE EMBRYOGENESIS ABUNDANT (LEA) proteins [15]. Once having passed all these stages, the seed proceeds to a dormant state until germination.…”