Transcriptional Activation, but Not mRNA Turnover of PrCYP707A1 is Linked with Soybean (Glycine max L.) Sprouts Extract Induced Germination of Obligate Root Parasitic Weed, Branched Broomrape (Philpanche ramosa L.)

In the present study, potential allelopathic effects of soybean sprouts extract (SSE) on branched broomrape [Philpanche ramosa L. (Pr) syn. Orobanche ramosa] germination was investigated. We observed that using an optimised [50% (v/v)] concentration of SSE (referred as SSE50) as a pre-conditioning/priming-agent, an induced germination of Pr in concomitant with de novo RNA synthesis and a gene-specific enhanced expression of early germination marker-gene, abscisic acid 8'-hydroxylase (PrCYP707A1) was observed. Subsequent experiments were conducted to investigate the potential transcriptional and post-transcriptional alterations of PrCYP707A1 linked with SSE50 induced germination of Pr. Our findings from run-on and mRNA chase assays indicated that SSE50-primed Pr seeds showed a relatively enhanced transcriptional rate of PrCYP707A1, without affecting its mRNA turnover. Overall, SSE50 is proposed as a inducer of de novo RNA synthesis as well as gene-specific transcriptional rate of PrCYP707A1, which could be further examined as a sustainable component in the management of broomrape infestations.