Abstract
Seed germination is one of the most important stages during plant life cycle, and DOG1 (Delay of germination1) plays a pivotal regulatory role in seed dormancy and germination. In this study, we have identified the DOG1-Like (DOG1L) family in soybean (Glycine max), a staple oil crop worldwide, and investigated their chromosomal distribution, structure and expression patterns. The results showed that the GmDOG1L family is composed of 40 members, which can be divided into six subgroups, according to their evolutionary relationship with other known DOG1-Like genes. These GmDOG1Ls are distributed on 18 of 20 chromosomes in the soybean genome and the number of exons for all the 40 GmDOG1Ls varied greatly. Members of the different subgroups possess a similar motif structure composition. qRT-PCR assay showed that the expression patterns of different GmDOG1Ls were significantly altered in various tissues, and some GmDOG1Ls expressed primarily in soybean seeds. Gibberellic acid (GA) remarkably inhibited the expression of most of GmDOG1Ls, whereas Abscisic acid (ABA) inhibited some of the GmDOG1Ls expression while promoting others. It is speculated that some GmDOG1Ls regulate seed dormancy and germination by directly or indirectly relating to ABA and GA pathways, with complex interaction networks. This study provides an important theoretical basis for further investigation about the regulatory roles of GmDOG1L family on soybean seed germination.