Seeds are unique time capsules that can switch between 2 complex and highly interlinked stages: seed dormancy and germination. Dormancy contributes to the survival of plants because it allows to delay germination to optimal conditions. The switch between dormancy and germination occurs in response to developmental and environmental cues. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of studies that have helped to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying dormancy and germination over the last decades. Genetic and physiological studies provided a strong foundation for this field of research and revealed the critical role of the plant hormones abscisic acid and gibberellins in the regulation of dormancy and germination, and later natural variation studies together with quantitative genetics identified previously unknown genetic components that control these processes. Omics technologies like transcriptome, proteome, and translatomics analysis allowed us to mechanistically dissect these processes and identify new components in the regulation of seed dormancy and germination.

中文翻译：

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对生命的承诺：数十年揭示种子休眠和发芽背后的分子机制

种子是独特的时间胶囊，可以在两个复杂且高度关联的阶段之间切换：种子休眠和发芽。休眠有助于植物的存活，因为它可以将发芽延迟到最佳条件。休眠和发芽之间的转换是根据发育和环境线索而发生的。在这篇综述中，我们对过去几十年来帮助揭示休眠和发芽分子机制的研究进行了全面的概述。遗传和生理学研究为这一研究领域提供了坚实的基础，并揭示了植物激素脱落酸和赤霉素在调节休眠和发芽中的关键作用，后来的自然变异研究与定量遗传学一起确定了以前未知的控制遗传成分这些过程。转录组、蛋白质组和翻译组学分析等组学技术使我们能够机械地剖析这些过程，并识别种子休眠和发芽调节中的新成分。