Pattern formation in plant embryogenesis: a reassessment

Cell Type-Specific Gene Expression Profiling Using Fluorescence-Activated Nuclear Sorting

Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) is a powerful method for the analysis of cell type-specific transcriptome profiles, DNA or histone modifications, and chemical compounds. In plants, it has been employed mainly with root and shoot tissue in combination with cell wall digestion on cellular and nuclear content. However, many tissues are recalcitrant to cell separation and are therefore not readily accessible for FACS analysis. Here, we lay out a detailed protocol for the generation of transcriptional profiles from fluorescently labeled nuclei. The protocol described in this chapter has been used successfully to generate a transcriptional map of the early Arabidopsis thaliana embryo.

Transcriptional changes during ovule development in two genotypes of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) with contrast in seed size

Litchi chinensis is a subtropical fruit crop, popular for its nutritional value and taste. Fruits with small seed size and thick aril are desirable in litchi. To gain molecular insight into gene expression that leads to the reduction in the size of seed in Litchi chinensis, transcriptomes of two genetically closely related genotypes, with contrasting seed size were compared in developing ovules. The cDNA library constructed from early developmental stages of ovules (0, 6, and 14 days after anthesis) of bold- and small-seeded litchi genotypes yielded 303,778,968 high quality paired-end reads. These were de-novo assembled into 1,19,939 transcripts with an average length of 865 bp. A total of 10,186 transcripts with contrast in expression were identified in developing ovules between the small- and large- seeded genotypes. A majority of these differences were present in ovules before anthesis, thus suggesting the role of maternal factors in seed development. A number of transcripts indicative of metabolic stress, expressed at higher level in the small seeded genotype. Several differentially expressed transcripts identified in such ovules showed homology with Arabidopsis genes associated with different stages of ovule development and embryogenesis.

Meiosis, unreduced gametes, and parthenogenesis: implications for engineering clonal seed formation in crops

Meiosis and unreduced gametes. Sexual flowering plants produce meiotically derived cells that give rise to the male and female haploid gametophytic phase. In the ovule, usually a single precursor (the megaspore mother cell) undergoes meiosis to form four haploid megaspores; however, numerous mutants result in the formation of unreduced gametes, sometimes showing female specificity, a phenomenon reminiscent of the initiation of gametophytic apomixis. Here, we review the developmental events that occur during female meiosis and megasporogenesis at the light of current possibilities to engineer unreduced gamete formation. We also provide an overview of the current understanding of mechanisms leading to parthenogenesis and discuss some of the conceptual implications for attempting the induction of clonal seed production in cultivated plants.

A roadmap to embryo identity in plants

Although plant embryogenesis is usually studied in the context of seed development, there are many alternative roads to embryo initiation. These include somatic embryogenesis in tissue culture and microspore embryogenesis, both widely used in breeding and crop propagation, but also include other modes of ectopic embryo initiation. In the past decades several genes, mostly transcription factors, were identified that can induce embryogenesis in somatic cells. Because the genetic networks in which such regulators operate to promote embryogenesis are largely unknown, a key question is how their activity relates to zygotic and alternative embryo initiation. We describe here the many roads to plant embryo initiation and discuss a framework for defining the developmental roles and mechanisms of plant embryogenesis regulators.

Emerging role of the ubiquitin proteasome system in the control of shoot apical meristem function(f)

The shoot apical meristem (SAM) is a population of undifferentiated cells at the tip of the shoot axis that establishes early during plant embryogenesis and gives rise to all shoot organs throughout the plant's life. A plethora of different families of transcription factors (TFs) play a key role in establishing the equilibrium between cell differentiation and stem cell maintenance in the SAM. Fine tuning of these regulatory proteins is crucial for a proper and fast SAM response to environmental and hormonal cues, and for development progression. One effective way to rapidly inactivate TFs involves regulated proteolysis by the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system (UPS). However, a possible role of UPS-dependent protein degradation in the regulation of key SAM TFs has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we summarize recent evidence supporting a role for the UPS in SAM maintenance and function. We integrate this survey with an in silico analysis of publicly-available microarray databases which identified ubiquitin ligases that are expressed in specific areas within the SAM, suggesting that they may regulate or act downstream of meristem-specific factors.

A proteomic analysis of seed development in Brassica campestri L

To gain insights into the protein dynamics during seed development, a proteomic study on the developing Brassica campestri L. seeds with embryos in different embryogenesis stages was carried out. The seed proteins at 10, 16, 20, 25 and 35 DAP (days after pollination), respectively, were separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identities of 209 spots with altered abundance were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS). These proteins were classified into 16 groups according to their functions. The most abundant proteins were related to primary metabolism, indicating the heavy demand of materials for rapid embryo growth. Besides, the high amount of proteins involved in protein processing and destination indicated importance of protein renewal during seed development. The remaining were those participated in oxidation/detoxification, energy, defense, transcription, protein synthesis, transporter, cell structure, signal transduction, secondary metabolism, transposition, DNA repair, storage and so on. Protein abundance profiles of each functional class were generated and hierarchical cluster analysis established 8 groups of dynamic patterns. Our results revealed novel characters of protein dynamics in seed development in Brassica campestri L. and provided valuable information about the complex process of seed development in plants.

The effect of transparent TESTA2 on seed fatty acid biosynthesis and tolerance to environmental stresses during young seedling establishment in Arabidopsis

In plants, fatty acids (FAs) and FA-derived complex lipids are major carbon and energy reserves in seeds. They are essential components of cellular membranes and cellular signal or hormone molecules. Although TRANSPARENT TESTA2 (TT2) is well studied for its function in regulating proanthocyanidin biosynthesis in the seed coat, little attention has been given to its role in affecting seed FA accumulation and tolerance to environmental stresses. We demonstrate that the tt2 mutation remarkably increased the seed FA content, decreased seed weight, and altered the FA composition. The increase in FA content in the tt2 seeds was due to the relative decrease of seed coat proportion as well as the more efficient FA synthesis in the tt2 embryo. Microarray analysis revealed that tt2 mutation up-regulated a group of genes critical to FA biosynthesis and embryonic development. The mutation also altered the gene expressions that respond to stress. The microarray analysis discovered that the increase in FA accumulation of the tt2 seeds were accompanied by the significant up-regulation of FUSCA3, a transcriptional factor for embryonic development and FATTY ACID ELONGASE1, which catalyzes the elongation of FA chains. Moreover, lower seed protein accumulation during seed maturation also contributed to the increased seed FA accumulation in tt2 mutants. This study advances the understanding of the TT2 gene in seed FA accumulation and abiotic stresses during seed germination and seedling establishment.

Overexpression of AtCSP4 affects late stages of embryo development in Arabidopsis

Eukaryotic cold shock domain proteins are nucleic acid-binding proteins that are involved in transcription, translation via RNA chaperone activity, RNA editing, and DNA repair during tissue developmental processes and stress responses. Cold shock domain proteins have been functionally implicated in important developmental transitions, including embryogenesis, in both animals and plants. Arabidopsis thaliana cold shock domain protein 4 (AtCSP4) contains a well conserved cold shock domain (CSD) and glycine-rich motifs interspersed by two retroviral-like CCHC zinc fingers. AtCSP4 is expressed in all tissues but accumulates in reproductive tissues and those undergoing cell divisions. Overexpression of AtCSP4 reduces silique length and induces embryo lethality. Interestingly, a T-DNA insertion atcsp4 mutant does not exhibit any morphological abnormalities, suggesting that the related AtCSP2 gene is functionally redundant with AtCSP4. During silique development, AtCSP4 overexpression induced early browning and shrunken seed formation beginning with the late heart embryo stage. A 50% segregation ratio of the defective seed phenotype was consistent with the phenotype of endosperm development gene mutants. Transcripts of FUS3 and LEC1 genes, which regulate early embryo formation, were not altered in the AtCSP4 overexpression lines. On the other hand, MEA and FIS2 transcripts, which are involved in endosperm development, were affected by AtCSP4 overexpression. Additionally, AtCSP4 overexpression resulted in up-regulation of several MADS-box genes (AP1, CAL, AG, and SHP2) during early stages of silique development. Collectively, these data suggest that AtCSP4 plays an important role during the late stages of silique development by affecting the expression of several development-related genes.

ATR3 encodes a diflavin reductase essential for Arabidopsis embryo development

*The Arabidopsis genome possesses two confirmed Cytochrome P450 Reductase (CPR) genes, ATR1 and ATR2, together with a third putative homologue, ATR3, which annotation is questionable. *Phylogenetic analysis classified ATR3 as a CPR-like protein sharing homologies with the animal cytosolic dual flavin reductases, NR1 and Fre-1, distinct from the microsomal CPRs, ATR1 and ATR2. Like NR1 and Fre-1, ATR3 lacks the N-terminal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) anchor domain of CPRs and is localized in the cytoplasm. Recombinant ATR3 in plant soluble extracts was able to reduce cytochrome c but failed to reduce the human P450 CYP1A2. *Loss of ATR3 function resulted in early embryo lethality indicating that this reductase activity is essential. A yeast 2-hybrid screen identified a unique interaction of ATR3 with the homologue of the human anti-apoptotic CIAPIN1 and the yeast Dre2 protein. *This interaction suggests two possible roles for ATR3 in the control of cell death and in chromosome segregation at mitosis. Consistent with these results, the promoter of ATR3 is activated during cell cycle progression. Together these results demonstrated that ATR3 belongs to the NR1 subfamily of diflavin reductases whose characterized members are involved in essential cellular functions.

Regulation of HSD1 in seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana

The hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase HSD1, identified in the proteome of oil bodies from mature Arabidopsis seeds, is encoded by At5g50600 and At5g50700, two gene copies anchored on a duplicated region of chromosome 5. Using a real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) approach, the accumulation of HSD1 mRNA was shown to be specifically and highly induced in oil-accumulating tissues of maturing seeds. HSD1 mRNA disappeared during germination. The activity of HSD1 promoter and the localization of HSD1 transcripts by in situ hybridization were consistent with this pattern. A complementary set of molecular and genetic analyses showed that HSD1 is a target of LEAFY COTYLEDON2, a transcriptional regulator able to bind the promoter of HSD1. Immunoblot analyses and immunolocalization experiments using anti-AtHSD1 antibodies established that the pattern of HSD1 deposition faithfully reflected mRNA accumulation. At the subcellular level, the study of HSD1:GFP fusion proteins showed the targeting of HSD1 to the surface of oil bodies. Transgenic lines overexpressing HSD1 were then obtained to test the importance of proper transcriptional regulation of HSD1 in seeds. Whereas no impact on oil accumulation could be detected, transgenic seeds exhibited lower cold and light requirements to break dormancy, germinate and mobilize storage lipids. Interestingly, overexpressors of HSD1 over-accumulated HSD1 protein in seeds but not in vegetative organs, suggesting that post-transcriptional regulations exist that prevent HSD1 accumulation in tissues deprived of oil bodies.

Regulation of de novo fatty acid synthesis in maturing oilseeds of Arabidopsis

As a Brassicaceae, Arabidopsis thaliana constitutes an excellent model system to investigate oil biosynthesis in seeds. Extensive tools for the genetic and molecular dissection of this model species are now available. Together with analytical procedures adapted to its tiny seeds, these tools have allowed major advances in isolating and characterising the factors that participate in the metabolic and developmental control of seed filling. Once the biochemical pathways producing storage lipids, namely triacylglycerols, were elucidated, the question of the regulation of this metabolic network has arisen. The coordinated up regulation of genes encoding enzymes of the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway observed at the onset of seed maturation suggests that the pathway may be subjected to a system of global transcriptional regulation. This has been further established by the study of master regulators of the maturation program like LEAFY COTYLEDON2 and the characterisation of the WRINKLED1 transcription factor. These factors have been shown to participate in a regulatory cascade controlling the induction of the genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis at the onset of the maturation phase. Although much remains to be elucidated, the framework of the regulatory system controlling fatty acid biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seeds is coming into focus.

GAMETOPHYTIC FACTOR 1, involved in pre-mRNA splicing, is essential for megagametogenesis and embryogenesis in Arabidopsis

RNA biogenesis is essential and vital for accurate expression of genes. It is obvious that cells cannot continue normal metabolism when RNA splicing is interfered with. sgt13018 is such a mutant, with partial loss of function of GAMETOPHYTIC FACTOR 1 (GFA1); a gene likely involved in RNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis. The mutant is featured in the phenotype of diminished female gametophyte development at stage FG5 and is associated with the arrest of early embryo development in Arabidopsis. Bioinformatics data showed that homologs of gene GFA1 in yeast and human encode putative U5 snRNP-specific proteins required for pre-mRNA splicing. Furthermore, the result of yeast two-hybrid assay indicated that GFA1 physically interacted with AtBrr2 and AtPrp8, the putative U5 snRNP components, of Arabidopsis. This investigation suggests that GFA1 is involved in mRNA biogenesis through interaction with AtBrr2 and AtPrp8 and functions in megagametogenesis and embryogenesis in plant.

MERISTEM-DEFECTIVE, an RS domain protein, is required for the correct meristem patterning and function in Arabidopsis

Plant growth and development is dependent on the specification and maintenance of pools of stem cells found in the meristems. Mutations in the Arabidopsis MERISTEM-DEFECTIVE (MDF) gene lead to a loss of stem cell and meristematic activity in the root and vegetative shoot. MDF encodes a putative RS domain protein with a predicted role in transcription or RNA processing control. mdf mutants exhibit decreased levels of PINFORMED2 (PIN2) and PIN4 mRNAs, which is associated with a reduction in PIN:GFP levels, and with a defective auxin maximum in the basal region of the developing mdf embryo and seedling root meristem. Seedling roots also exhibit reduced PLETHORA (PLT), SCARECROW and SHORTROOT gene expression, a loss of stem cell activity, terminal differentiation of the root meristem and defective cell patterning. MDF expression is not defective in the bodenlos, pin1 or eir1/pin2 auxin mutants, and is not modulated by exogenous auxin. plt1 plt2 double mutants have unaffected levels of MDF RNA, indicating that MDF acts upstream of PIN and PLT gene expression. Differentiation of the shoot stem cell pool also occurs in mdf mutants, associated with a reduced WUSCHEL (WUS) expression domain and expanded CLAVATA3 (CLV3) domain. Overexpression of MDF leads to the activation of markers of embryonic identity and ectopic meristem activity in vegetative tissues. These results demonstrate a requirement for the MDF-dependent pathway in regulating PIN/PLT- and WUS/CLV-mediated meristem activity.

Embryogenesis: pattern formation from a single cell

During embryogenesis a single cell gives rise to a functional multicellular organism. In higher plants, as in many other multicellular systems, essential architectural features, such as body axes and major tissue layers are established early in embryogenesis and serve as a positional framework for subsequent pattern elaboration. In Arabidopsis, the apicalbasal axis and the radial pattern of tissues wrapped around it are already recognizable in young embryos of only about a hundred cells in size. This early axial pattern seems to provide a coordinate system for the embryonic initiation of shoot and root. Findings from genetic studies in Arabidopsis are revealing molecular mechanisms underlying the initial establishment of the axial core pattern and its subsequent elaboration into functional shoots and roots. The genetic programs operating in the early embryo organize functional cell patterns rapidly and reproducibly from minimal cell numbers. Understanding their molecular details could therefore greatly expand our ability to generate plant body patterns de novo, with important implications for plant breeding and biotechnology.

Two receptor-like kinases required together for the establishment of Arabidopsis cotyledon primordia

Inter-regional signaling coordinates pattern formation in Arabidopsis thaliana embryos. However, little is known regarding the cells and molecules involved in inter-regional communication. We have characterized two related leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs), RECEPTOR-LIKE PROTEIN KINASE1 (RPK1) and TOADSTOOL2 (TOAD2), which are required together for patterning the apical embryonic domain cell types that generate cotyledon primordia. Central domain protoderm patterning defects were always observed subjacent to the defective cotyledon primordia cell types in mutant embryos. In addition, RPK1-GFP and TOAD2-GFP translational fusions were both localized to the central domain protodermal cells when cotyledon primordia were first recognizable. We propose that RPK1 and TOAD2 are primarily required to maintain central domain protoderm cell fate and that the loss of this key embryonic cell type in mutant embryos results in patterning defects in other regions of the embryo including the failure to initiate cotyledon primordia.

WRINKLED1 specifies the regulatory action of LEAFY COTYLEDON2 towards fatty acid metabolism during seed maturation in Arabidopsis

The WRINKLED1 (WRI1) transcription factor has been shown to play a role of the utmost importance during oil accumulation in maturing seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana. However, little is known about the regulatory processes involved. In this paper, comprehensive functional analyses of three new mutants corresponding to null alleles of wri1 confirm that the induction of WRI1 is a prerequisite for fatty acid synthesis and is important for normal embryo development. The strong expression of WRI1 specifically detected at the onset of the maturation phase in oil-accumulating tissues of A. thaliana seeds is fully consistent with this function. Complementation experiments carried out with various seed-specific promoters emphasized the importance of a tight regulation of WRI1 expression for proper oil accumulation, raising the question of the factors controlling WRI1 transcription. Interestingly, molecular and genetic analyses using an inducible system demonstrated that WRI1 is a target of LEAFY COTYLEDON2 and is necessary for the regulatory action of LEC2 towards fatty acid metabolism. In addition to this, quantitative RT-PCR experiments suggested that several genes encoding enzymes of late glycolysis, the fatty acid synthesis pathway, and the biotin and lipoic acid biosynthetic pathways are targets of WRI1. Taken together, these results indicate new relationships in the regulatory model for the control of oil synthesis in maturing A. thaliana seeds. In addition, they exemplify how metabolic and developmental processes affecting the developing embryo can be coordinated at the molecular level.

QQT proteins colocalize with microtubules and are essential for early embryo development in Arabidopsis

During Arabidopsis embryogenesis, the control of division between daughter cells is critical for pattern formation. Two embryo-defective (emb) mutant lines named quatre-quart (qqt) were characterized by forward and reverse genetics. The terminal arrest of qqt1 and qqt2 embryos was at the octant stage, just prior to the round of periclinal divisions that establishes the dermatogen stage . Homozygous embryos of a weaker allele of qqt1 were able to divide further, resulting in aberrant periclinal divisions. These phenotypic analyses support an essential role of the QQT proteins in the correct formation of the tangential divisions. That an important proportion of qqt1 embryos were arrested prior to the octant stage indicated a more general role in cell division. The analysis of QQT1 and QQT2 genes revealed that they belong to a small subgroup of the large family encoding ATP/GTP binding proteins, and are widely conserved among plants, vertebrates and Archaea. We showed that QQT1 and QQT2 proteins interact with each other in a yeast two-hybrid system, and that QQT1 and QQT2 tagged by distinct fluorescent probes colocalize with microtubules during mitosis, in agreement with their potential role in cell division and their mutant phenotype. We propose that QQT1 and QQT2 proteins participate in the organization of microtubules during cell division, and that this function is essential for the correct development of the early embryo.

Arabidopsis GLUTAMINE-RICH PROTEIN23 is essential for early embryogenesis and encodes a novel nuclear PPR motif protein that interacts with RNA polymerase II subunit III

Precise control of gene expression is critical for embryo development in both animals and plants. We report that Arabidopsis thaliana GLUTAMINE-RICH PROTEIN23 (GRP23) is a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein that functions as a potential regulator of gene expression during early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis. Loss-of-function mutations of GRP23 caused the arrest of early embryo development. The vast majority of the mutant embryos arrested before the 16-cell dermatogen stage, and none of the grp23 embryos reached the heart stage. In addition, 19% of the mutant embryos displayed aberrant cell division patterns. GRP23 encodes a polypeptide with a Leu zipper domain, nine PPRs at the N terminus, and a Gln-rich C-terminal domain with an unusual WQQ repeat. GRP23 is a nuclear protein that physically interacts with RNA polymerase II subunit III in both yeast and plant cells. GRP23 is expressed in developing embryos up to the heart stage, as revealed by beta-glucuronidase reporter gene expression and RNA in situ hybridization. Together, our data suggest that GRP23, by interaction with RNA polymerase II, likely functions as a transcriptional regulator essential for early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis.

A spatiotemporal analysis of enzymatic activities associated with carbon metabolism in wild-type and mutant embryos of Arabidopsis using in situ histochemistry

Arabidopsis as a molecular genetic model offers many advantages for the study of seed development, but these do not extend to biochemical and enzymatic studies, which are often compromised by the limited amount of material available from the small developing embryos. A set of assays based on the coupling of an enzymatic reaction to the reduction of NAD, NADP or FAD, and subsequent reduction and precipitation of a tetrazolium salt, have been adapted to investigate 18 enzyme activities associated with carbon metabolism in developing Arabidopsis embryos. The use of organelle-specific marker enzymes demonstrates the utility of the method for detection of activities in mitochondria, plastids and peroxisomes as well as the cytosol. The temporal staining patterns obtained allow classification of the activities into three main categories based on whether they peak in the early, intermediate or late stages of maturation. An interesting switch from ATP to pyrophosphate consuming pathways occurs at the onset of the maturation phase, which involves key steps in primary carbon metabolism such as phosphofructokinase. This spatiotemporal characterization of carbon metabolism has also been applied to various mutants disrupted in embryo development including gnom (gn), acetyl-CoA carboxylase1 (acc1), schlepperless (slp), and wrinkled1 (wri1). The data obtained demonstrate that the extent to which carbon metabolism is affected in mutants is not necessarily correlated to the severity of the mutation considered. Through the advanced characterization of trehalose-6-P synthase1 (tps1) embryos, this approach finally provides new insight into the regulatory role played by trehalose metabolism in embryo development.

Laser capture microdissection for the analysis of gene expression during embryogenesis of Arabidopsis

It is during embryogenesis that the body plan of the developing plant is established. Analysis of gene expression during embryogenesis has been limited due to the technical difficulty of accessing the developing embryo. Here we demonstrate that laser capture microdissection can be applied to the analysis of embryogenesis. We show how this technique can be used in concert with DNA microarray for the large-scale analysis of gene expression in apical and basal domains of the globular-stage and heart-stage embryo, respectively, when critical events of polarity, symmetry and biochemical differentiation are established. This high resolution spatial analysis shows that up to approximately 65% of the genome is expressed in the developing embryo, and that differential expression of a number of gene classes can be detected. We discuss the validity of this approach for the functional analysis of both published and previously uncharacterized essential genes.

Control of early seed development

Seed development requires coordinated expression of embryo and endosperm and has contributions from both sporophytic and male and female gametophytic genes. Genetic and molecular analyses in recent years have started to illuminate how products of these multiple genes interact to initiate seed development. Imprinting or differential expression of paternal and maternal genes seems to be involved in controlling seed development, presumably by controlling gene expression in developing endosperm. Epigenetic processes such as chromatin remodeling and DNA methylation affect imprinting of key seed-specific genes; however, the identity of many of these genes remains unknown. The discovery of FIS genes has illuminated control of autonomous endosperm development, a component of apomixis, which is an important developmental and agronomic trait. FIS genes are targets of imprinting, and the genes they control in developing endosperm are also regulated by DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling genes. These results define some exciting future areas of research in seed development.

Transactivation of BARNASE under the AtLTP1 promoter affects the basal pole of the embryo and shoot development of the adult plant in Arabidopsis

Genetically controlled expression of a toxin provides a tool to remove a specific structure and consequently study its role during a developmental process. The availability of many tissue-specific promoters is a good argument for the development of such a strategy in plants. We have developed a conditional system for targeted toxin expression and demonstrated its use for generating embryo phenotypes that can bring valuable information about signalling during embryogenesis. The BARNASE gene was expressed in the Arabidopsis embryo under the control of two promoters, one from the cyclin AtCYCB1 gene and one from the AtLTP1 gene (Lipid Transfer Protein 1). One-hundred percent seed abortion was obtained with the cyclin promoter. Surprisingly however, the embryos displayed a range of lethal phenotypes instead of a single arrested stage as expected from this promoter. We also show that BARNASE expression under the control of the AtLTP1 promoter affects the basal pole of the globular embryo. Together with reporter expression studies, this result suggests a role of the epidermis in controlling the development of the lower tier of the embryo. This defect was not embryo-lethal and we show that the seedlings displayed a severe shoot phenotype correlated to epidermal defects. Therefore, the epidermis does not play an active role during organogenesis in seedlings but is important for the postgermination development of a viable plant.

Choosing sides: establishment of polarity in zygotes of fucoid algae

The acquisition and expression of polarity during early embryogenesis underlies developmental pattern. In many multicellular organisms an initial asymmetric division of the zygote is critical to the determination of different cell fates of the early embryonic cells. Zygotes of the marine fucoid algae are initially apolar and become polarized in response to external cues. This results in an initial asymmetric division of the zygote. Subsequent divisions occur in a highly ordered spatial and temporal pattern. A combination of cell biological and biochemical studies is providing new details, and some controversies concerning the mechanisms by which zygotic polarity is acquired and amplified. Here, we discuss some of the more recent studies that are allowing improved understanding of polarization in this system.

Future of early embryogenesis studies in Arabidopsis thaliana

Embryogenesis is a long-standing field of interest for plant scientist as recorded in the 'notes' of the French Science Academy. This either with fundamental or applied points of view. Since the beginning of the century techniques and questions have co-evolved, from microscope and fate map to laser ablation and cell-cell signalling. So far in plant embryogenesis, a limited use has been made of the whole range of approaches generally available to study development. This is due to technical limitations when working with plant embryos. Novel mutant screens and techniques are now at hand and are expected to unravel further the nature of cell interactions underlying embryo development. This in turn will modify the focus of our questioning.

Genomic imprinting and seed development: endosperm formation with and without sex

During seed development, coordinated developmental programs lead to the formation of the embryo, endosperm and seed coat. The maternal effects of the genes affected in the fertilisation-independent seed class of mutants play an important role in seed development. The plant Polycomb proteins MEDEA and FERTILIZATION-INDEPENDENT ENDOSPERM physically interact and form a complex, in a manner similar to that of their counterparts in animals. Maternal-effect phenotypes can result from regulation by genomic imprinting, a phenomenon of critical importance for both sexual and apomictic seed development.

DEVELOPMENT OF SYMMETRY IN PLANTS

Plant development involves specification and elaboration of axes of asymmetry. The apical-basal and inside-outside axes arise in embryogenesis, and are probably oriented maternally. They are maintained during growth post-germination and interact to establish novel axes of asymmetry in flowers and lateral organs (such as leaves). Whereas the genetic control of axis elaboration is now partially understood in embryos, floral meristems, and organs, the underlying mechanisms of axis specification remain largely obscure. Less functionally significant aspects of plant asymmetry (e.g. the handedness of spiral phyllotaxy) may originate in random events and therefore have no genetic control.

Generation of enhancer trap lines in Arabidopsis and characterization of expression patterns in the inflorescence

Eleven thousand, three hundred and seventy enhancer/promoter trap lines in Arabidopsis were generated via T-DNA transformation utilizing the binary vector pD991 that contains a minimal promoter fused to the uidA reporter gene. Overall 31% of the lines generated exhibit a staining pattern in the inflorescence. Flanking DNA has been cloned from 15 lines exhibiting inflorescence staining patterns by either thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR), inverse PCR (IPCR), or partial library construction. Seeds from these lines are available from the ABRC and NASC Arabidopsis stock centers and DNA pools are available from the ABRC.

Signaling in plant embryogenesis

Embryogenesis is a critical stage of the sporophytic life cycle during which the basic body plan of the plant is established. Although positional information is implicated to play a major role in determining embryo cell fate, little is known about the nature of positional signals. Recent studies show that the monopterous and hobbit mutations reveal signaling during patterning of the embryonic axis. The LEAFY COTYLEDON1 and PICKLE genes have been implicated to play important roles in controlling embryo development.