ZINC FINGER PROTEIN2 suppresses funiculus lignification to ensure seed loading efficiency in Arabidopsis

The plant funiculus anchors the developing seed to the placenta within the inner dorsal pod strands of the silique wall and directly transports nutrients to the seeds. The lignified vasculature critically supports nutrient transport through the funiculus. However, molecular mechanisms underlying lignified secondary cell wall (SCW) biosynthesis in the funiculus remain elusive. Here, we show that the transcription factor ZINC FINGER PROTEIN2 (ZFP2) represses SCW formation in the cortex cells that surround the vasculature. This function is essential for efficient nutrient loading into the seeds. Notably, ZFP2 directly acts on the SCW transcription factor NAC SECONDARY WALL THICKENING PROMOTING FACTOR1 (NST1) to repress cortex cell lignification, providing a mechanism of how SCW biosynthesis is restricted to the vasculature of the funiculus to ensure proper seed loading in Arabidopsis.