An integrated RNA-Seq and network study reveals a complex regulation process of rice embryo during seed germination

Seed germination is a crucial stage for plant development and agricultural production. To investigate its complex regulation process, the RNA-Seq study of rice embryo was conducted at three time points of 0, 12 and 48 h post imbibition (HPI). Dynamic transcriptional alterations were observed, especially in the early stage (0-12 HPI). Seed related genes, especially those encoding desiccation inducible proteins and storage reserves in embryo, decreased drastically after imbibition. The expression profiles of phytohormone related genes indicated distinct roles of abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA) and brassinosteroid (BR) in germination. Moreover, network analysis revealed the importance of protein phosphorylation in phytohormone interactions. Network and gene ontology (GO) analyses suggested that transcription factors (TFs) played a regulatory role in functional transitions during germination, and the enriched TF families at 0 HPI implied a regulation of epigenetic modification in dry seeds. In addition, 35 germination-specific TF genes in embryo were identified and seven genes were verified by qRT-PCR. Besides, enriched TF binding sites (TFBSs) supported physiological changes in germination. Overall, this study expands our comprehensive knowledge of multiple regulation factors underlying rice seed germination.