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Updated: Sep 7, 2025
08:05
Efficient and Rapid Isolation of Early-stage Embryos from Arabidopsis thaliana Seeds
Published on: June 7, 2013
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BABY BOOM regulates early embryo and endosperm development
Baojian Chen1, Lena Maas1,2, Duarte Figueiredo3
1Bioscience, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Summary
The BABY BOOM (BBM) gene regulates plant embryo development and seed growth. Ectopic BBM expression can trigger asexual embryo formation, bypassing fertilization in crops.
Area of Science:
- Plant developmental biology
- Molecular genetics
- Reproductive biology
Background:
- BABY BOOM (BBM) is an AINTEGUMENTA-LIKE (AIL) transcription factor known to induce asexual embryogenesis.
- Limited information exists on BBM's role during normal zygotic embryogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression and function of BBM during zygotic embryogenesis in Arabidopsis.
- To elucidate the roles of BBM and PLETHORA2 (PLT2) in seed development and asexual embryo formation.
Main Methods:
- Reporter gene analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to create bbm and plt2 mutants.
- Ectopic expression of BBM in Arabidopsis, Brassica napus, and Solanum lycopersicon egg cells.
Main Results:
- BBM is expressed in the embryo, nucellus, and endosperm from the zygote stage.
- bbm and plt2 mutants revealed individual roles in embryo progression timing.
- BBM and PLT2 exhibit redundant roles in endosperm development and maintaining zygotic embryo development.
- Ectopic BBM expression in egg cells bypassed fertilization, inducing embryo development in Arabidopsis and crop species.
Conclusions:
- BBM and PLT2 play significant roles in seed development.
- BBM is a key factor for engineering asexual embryo development in dicot species.
- Understanding BBM function is crucial for improving plant reproductive strategies.
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