Suspensor-derived somatic embryogenesis in Arabidopsis.
Tatyana Radoeva1, Catherine Albrecht1, Marcel Piepers1
1Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|June 20, 2020
Summary
Reprogramming Arabidopsis suspensor cells into embryos is a specific response triggered by defined regulators. This process follows a conserved developmental path, similar to somatic embryogenesis from other plant tissues.
Area of Science:
- Plant developmental biology
- Molecular genetics
- Cellular reprogramming
Background:
- Asymmetric zygote division in flowering plants establishes distinct apical (embryo) and basal (suspensor) cell fates.
- Arabidopsis thaliana suspensor cells are typically extra-embryonic and senesce, but can form twin embryos under specific conditions.
- Somatic embryogenesis can be induced by various genes, but its relationship with suspensor-derived embryos is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature of suspensor cell fate transformation into embryonic cells.
- To identify the genetic triggers involved in reprogramming suspensor cells.
- To compare the developmental pathways of suspensor-derived embryos with somatic embryogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Expression of known embryogenesis-inducing genes specifically within suspensor cells of Arabidopsis thaliana.
- Analysis of suspensor cell morphology and fate-marker gene expression.
- Induction of suspensor division using various genetic and experimental triggers.
Main Results:
- Reprogramming of Arabidopsis suspensor cells towards embryonic identity is a specific cellular response.
- Defined genetic regulators trigger this transformation.
- The process follows a conserved developmental trajectory.
- Suspensor-derived embryogenesis shares similarities with somatic embryogenesis.
Conclusions:
- Suspensor cells possess the potential for embryonic development when exposed to specific regulatory signals.
- The genetic control and developmental pathway of suspensor-to-embryo reprogramming are conserved.
- This study clarifies the link between suspensor-derived embryos and somatic embryogenesis in plants.
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