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CELL DEATH1 safeguards microspore fate determination by repressing vacuole-executed programmed cell death

Yiming Wang1, Yixuan Feng1, Tengwei Yu1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Forage Breeding-by-Design and Utilization, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China.

Cell Reports
|December 25, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Scientists discovered CELL DEATH1 (CED1), a protein that prevents premature cell death in developing plant pollen. CED1 regulates vacuole function, ensuring proper pollen development and quality control.

Area of Science:

  • Plant reproductive biology
  • Molecular genetics
  • Cellular quality control

Background:

  • Microspore development involves vacuole formation and programmed cell death (PCD) for quality control.
  • The precise mechanisms of vacuole-mediated PCD during pollen development are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify factors regulating vacuole-driven PCD during microspore development.
  • To elucidate the role of CELL DEATH1 (CED1) in safeguarding pollen viability.

Main Methods:

  • Gene expression analysis of CED1 in pollen mother cells and tetrads.
  • Protein localization studies of CED1.
  • Analysis of microspore development in ced1 mutants.
  • Investigating CED1 interaction with vacuolar H+-ATPase (VHA-c).

Main Results:

  • CED1 acts as a suppressor of premature microspore PCD.
  • ced1 mutants display defects in vacuole biogenesis, nuclear progression, and PCD.
  • CED1 interacts with VHA-c, sustaining V-ATPase activity crucial for pollen development.
  • VHA-c overexpression negatively impacts pollen viability.

Conclusions:

  • CED1 is essential for preventing premature PCD and ensuring proper vacuole function during pollen development.
  • CED1-mediated regulation of VHA-ATPase activity represents a key quality control mechanism in plant reproduction.
  • This study uncovers a novel role for CED1 in safeguarding microspore development through vacuole and VHA regulation.
Keywords:
CP: cell biologyCP: plantsFAS1V-ATPaseVHAcell fatemicrosporepollenprogrammed cell deathtomatovacuole

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