SUMO protein after germination

2009/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Botanika
• Genetika

Two researchers at Indiana Purdue University have discovered the processes that regulate the genes that cause seed germination. In fact, they have found that seeds do not germinate when environmental conditions are wrong and conditions favor. As has been seen, behind this process is the so-called sumolization, a process of change caused by the small protein called SUMO (small ubiquitin-related modifier).

Seeds prevent germination by increasing the concentration of abcisic acid. Abcisic acid causes the seed to produce the ABI5 protein, which in turn activates the genes that prevent germination. The SUMO protein binds to the ABI5 protein and inactivates it. Thus, genes that prevent germination are inactivated and the seed begins to germinate.