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Use of LysoTracker to Detect Programmed Cell Death in Embryos and Differentiating Embryonic Stem Cells
Published on: October 11, 2012
Maternal control of suspensor programmed cell death via gibberellin signaling
Ce Shi1, Pan Luo1, Yu-Ting Du1
1State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430072, Wuhan, China.
Abstract:
Plant embryos are generated and develop in a stable and well-protected microenvironment surrounded by maternal tissue, which is vital for embryogenesis. However, the signaling mechanisms responsible for maternal tissue-to-proembryo communication are not well understood. Here, we report a pathway for maternal tissue-to-proembryo communication. We identify a DELLA protein, NtCRF1 (NtCYS regulative factor 1), which regulates suspensor programmed cell death (PCD). NtCRF1 can bind to the promoter of NtCYS and regulate the suspensor PCD-switch module NtCYS-NtCP14 in response to gibberellin (GA). We confirm that GA4, as a primary signal triggering suspensor PCD, is generated in the micropylar endothelium by the transient activation of NtGA3oxs in the maternal tissue. Thus, we propose that GA is a maternal-to-proembryo communication signal that is decoded in the proembryo by a GID1-CRF1-CYS-CP14 signaling cascade. Using this mode of communication, maternal tissue precisely controls the embryonic suspensor PCD and is able to nurse the proembryo in a stage-dependent manner.
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