Preparing, pairing and recovering: how angiosperms coordinate double fertilization

Double fertilization is a defining reproductive characteristic of angiosperms. During this process, two sperm cells fuse separately with the egg cell and the central cell to generate the embryo and endosperm, the two core components of the seed. Recent studies have revealed that male and female gametes are maintained in tightly regulated prefusion states and that their subsequent interaction proceeds through a series of precisely controlled steps. In angiosperms, gamete interaction also raises distinctive biological questions because it involves two fertilization events. Elucidating the molecular basis of male-female gamete interaction will not only deepen our understanding of double fertilization but also provide a conceptual foundation for improving crop-breeding strategies.