The Rab Geranylgeranyl Transferase Beta Subunit Is Essential for Embryo and Seed Development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Auxin is a key regulator of plant development affecting the formation and maturation of reproductive structures. The apoplastic route of auxin transport engages influx and efflux facilitators from the PIN, AUX and ABCB families. The polar localization of these proteins and constant recycling from the plasma membrane to endosomes is dependent on Rab-mediated vesicular traffic. Rab proteins are anchored to membranes via posttranslational addition of two geranylgeranyl moieties by the Rab Geranylgeranyl Transferase enzyme (RGT), which consists of RGTA, RGTB and REP subunits. Here, we present data showing that seed development in the rgtb1 mutant, with decreased vesicular transport capacity, is disturbed. Both pre- and post-fertilization events are affected, leading to a decrease in seed yield. Pollen tube recognition at the stigma and its guidance to the micropyle is compromised and the seed coat forms incorrectly. Excess auxin in the sporophytic tissues of the ovule in the rgtb1 plants leads to an increased tendency of autonomous endosperm formation in unfertilized ovules and influences embryo development in a maternal sporophytic manner. The results show the importance of vesicular traffic for sexual reproduction in flowering plants, and highlight RGTB1 as a key component of sporophytic-filial signaling.

Genetic Dissection of Apomixis in Dandelions Identifies a Dominant Parthenogenesis Locus and Highlights the Complexity of Autonomous Endosperm Formation

Apomixis in the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) consists of three developmental components: diplospory (apomeiosis), parthenogenesis, and autonomous endosperm development. The genetic basis of diplospory, which is inherited as a single dominant factor, has been previously elucidated. To uncover the genetic basis of the remaining components, a cross between a diploid sexual seed parent and a triploid apomictic pollen donor was made. The resulting 95 triploid progeny plants were genotyped with co-dominant simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers and phenotyped for apomixis as a whole and for the individual apomixis components using Nomarski Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy of cleared ovules and seed flow cytometry. From this, a new SSR marker allele was discovered that was closely linked to parthenogenesis and unlinked to diplospory. The segregation of apomixis as a whole does not differ significantly from a three-locus model, with diplospory and parthenogenesis segregating as unlinked dominant loci. Autonomous endosperm is regularly present without parthenogenesis, suggesting that the parthenogenesis locus does not also control endosperm formation. However, the high recovery of autonomous endosperm is inconsistent with this phenotype segregating as the third dominant locus. These results highlight the genetic complexity underlying apomixis in the dandelion and underline the challenge of introducing autonomous apomixis into sexual crops.

Pollen tube contents initiate ovule enlargement and enhance seed coat development without fertilization

In angiosperms, pollen tubes carry two sperm cells toward the egg and central cells to complete double fertilization. In animals, not only sperm but also seminal plasma is required for proper fertilization. However, little is known regarding the function of pollen tube content (PTC), which is analogous to seminal plasma. We report that the PTC plays a vital role in the prefertilization state and causes an enlargement of ovules without fertilization. We termed this phenomenon as pollen tube–dependent ovule enlargement morphology and placed it between pollen tube guidance and double fertilization. Additionally, PTC increases endosperm nuclei without fertilization when combined with autonomous endosperm mutants. This finding could be applied in agriculture, particularly in enhancing seed formation without fertilization in important crops.

Exogenous steroid hormones stimulate full development of autonomous endosperm in Arabidopsis thaliana

<p>Most flowering plants, including important crops, require double fertilization to form an embryo and endosperm, which nourishes it. Independence from fertilization is a feature of apomictic plants that produce seeds, from which the plants that are clones of the mother plant arise. The phenomenon of apomixis occurs in some sexual plants under specific circumstances. Since the launch of a fertilization-independent mechanism is considered a useful tool for plant breeding, there have been efforts to artificially induce apomixis. We have been able to produce fertilization-independent endosperm in vitro in <em>Arabidopsis</em> over the last few years. This paper demonstrates the methods of improving the quality of the endosperm obtained using plant and mammalian steroid hormones. Additionally, it shows the study on the autonomous endosperm (AE) formation mechanism in vitro.</p><p>This paper examines the effect of exogenous steroid hormones on unfertilized egg and central cell divisions in culture of unpollinated pistils of <em>Arabidopsis</em> Col-0 wild-type and <em>fie-1</em> mutant. All media with hormones used (estrone, androsterone, progesterone, and epibrassinolide) stimulated central cell divisions and fertilization-independent endosperm development. The stages of AE development followed the pattern of <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> wild type after fertilization. Subsequent stages of AE were observed from 2-nuclear up to cellular with the most advanced occurring on medium with 24-epibrassinolide and progesterone. The significant influence of mammalian sex hormones on speed of AE development and differentiation was noticed. Using restriction analysis, the changes in methylation of <em>FIE</em> gene was established under in vitro condition. The authors of this paper showed that <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> has a high potency to fertilization-independent development.</p>

Embryological studies in Taraxacum udum Jordan (sect. Palustria)

The present paper reports our observations on the mode of reproduction in Taraxacum udum (sect. Palustria), a very rare species in Poland, known only from a single locality. Based on the analysis of the developmental processes in the ovules, it can be concluded that this bog dandelion is an obligate and autonomous apomict. Its reproduction involves (i) restitutional diplospory, also known as Taraxacum type; (ii) parthenogenesis; and (iii) autonomous endosperm formation. Moreover, observations on the anatomy of ovules confirmed the occurrence of a special storage tissue around the embryo sac, which is considered to be an additional source of nutrition for the embryo. An examination of the anthers showed that, in spite of highly disturbed meiosis, apomictic T. udum produces pollen but pollen grains are heterogeneous in size and stainable using an acetocarmine test.