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Polycomb group proteins are required to couple seed coat initiation to fertilization.

ABSTRACT: Seed development in flowering plants is initiated after a double fertilization event leading to the formation of zygotic embryo and endosperm tissues surrounded by the maternally derived seed coat. Although the seed coat does not take part in the fertilization process it develops immediately after fertilization, implicating a signaling mechanism from zygotic tissues to the surrounding maternal tissues. We addressed the question of the underlying mechanisms repressing seed coat development before fertilization and initiating seed coat development after fertilization by analyzing combinations of mutants that initiate seed development in the absence of fertilization. We discovered that seed coat development is actively repressed before fertilization by dosage-sensitive Polycomb group proteins acting in maternal tissues surrounding the female gametophyte. This repression is relieved after fertilization by a signal that is formed by the sexual endosperm. Fertilization is required for signal formation, as asexually formed endosperm fails to effectively initiate seed coat development in mutants with uncompromised maternal Polycomb group function. Mutants for the MADS-box transcription factor AGL62 initiate embryo and endosperm formation but fail to develop a seed coat, implicating AGL62 expression in the endosperm as a requirement for signal initiation. Together, our results provide evidence that fertilization of the central cell generates a signal that relieves Polycomb group-mediated repression in the surrounding maternal tissues to initiate seed coat formation.

SUBMITTER: Roszak P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3251106 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Polycomb group proteins are required to couple seed coat initiation to fertilization.

Roszak Pawel P Köhler Claudia C

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20111205 51

Seed development in flowering plants is initiated after a double fertilization event leading to the formation of zygotic embryo and endosperm tissues surrounded by the maternally derived seed coat. Although the seed coat does not take part in the fertilization process it develops immediately after fertilization, implicating a signaling mechanism from zygotic tissues to the surrounding maternal tissues. We addressed the question of the underlying mechanisms repressing seed coat development before ...[more]

PMID: 22143805

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Project description:Dynamic regulation of chromatin structure is of fundamental importance for modulating genomic activities in higher eukaryotes. The opposing activities of Polycomb group (PcG) and trithorax group (trxG) proteins are part of a chromatin-based cellular memory system ensuring the correct expression of specific transcriptional programs at defined developmental stages. The default silencing activity of PcG proteins is counteracted by trxG proteins that activate PcG target genes and prevent PcG mediated silencing activities. Therefore, the timely expression and regulation of PcG proteins and counteracting trxG proteins is likely to be of fundamental importance for establishing cell identity. Here, we report that the chromodomain/helicase/DNA-binding domain CHD3 proteins PICKLE (PKL) and PICKLE RELATED2 (PKR2) have trxG-like functions in plants and are required for the expression of many genes that are repressed by PcG proteins. The pkl mutant could partly suppress the leaf and flower phenotype of the PcG mutant curly leaf, supporting the idea that CHD3 proteins and PcG proteins antagonistically determine cell identity in plants. The direct targets of PKL in roots include the PcG genes SWINGER and EMBRYONIC FLOWER2 that encode subunits of Polycomb repressive complexes responsible for trimethylating histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3). Similar to mutants lacking PcG proteins, lack of PKL and PKR2 caused reduced H3K27me3 levels and, therefore, increased expression of a set of PcG protein target genes in roots. Thus, PKL and PKR2 are directly required for activation of PcG protein target genes and in roots are also indirectly required for repression of PcG protein target genes. Reduced PcG protein activity can lead to cell de-differentiation and callus-like tissue formation in pkl pkr2 mutants. Thus, in contrast to mammals, where PcG proteins are required to maintain pluripotency and to prevent cell differentiation, in plants PcG proteins are required to promote cell differentiation by suppressing embryonic development.

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Polycomb group proteins are required to couple seed coat initiation to fertilization.

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Polycomb group proteins are required to couple seed coat initiation to fertilization.

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