Biotech Updates

Influence of Maternal Products to Early Embryogenesis of Arabidopsis

April 16, 2010

During the formation of the embryo, there is a major change in its dependence from the products of maternal tissues to the products of the zygotic genome. In animals, this is called maternal-to-zygotic transition, which often happens after a period of transcription suspension. However, this is not well-studied in plants. Thus, Marion Pillot of Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, together with other scientists, used molecular genetics and fluorescence microscopy in order to study the influence of maternal products to the embryogenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Results of this study showed that just like animal embryogenesis, the plant embryo also undergoes transcriptional dormancy. This stage may be vital to facilitate epigenetic programming, or reprogramming of the young embryo's genes. During this period, the endosperm is still active. It is also notable that cell-specific mechanisms caused epigenetic transformations in the female gametes of Arabidopsis thaliana prior to fertilization.

Subscribers may view the complete research details at http://www.plantcell.org/cgi/content/full/22/2/307?ijkey=c30bee98d2b5b174365b1167a8bdc8bb72457355.