Somatic embryogenesis: life and death processes during apical - basal patterning

Abstract

Early embryos consist of the apical domain which gives rise to the mature embryo and the basal domain which is gradually eliminated by PCD. Molecular pathways regulating development of each domain are reviewed.Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a process of differentiation of cells into a plant bypassing the fusion of gametes. As such, it represents a very powerful tool in biotechnology for propagation of species with a long reproductive cycle or low seed set and production of genetically modified plants with improved traits. SE is also a versatile model to study cellular and molecular mechanisms of plant embryo patterning. The morphology and molecular regulation of SE resemble those of zygotic embryogenesis and begin with establishment of apicalbasal asymmetry. The apical domain, the embryo proper, proliferates and eventually gives rise to the plantlet, while the basal part, the embryo suspensor, is terminally differentiated and gradually removed via vacuolar programmed cell death (PCD). This PCD is essential for normal development of the apical domain. Emerging evidence demonstrates that signalling events in the apical and basal domains share homologous components. Here we provide an overview of the main pathways controlling the life and death events during SE.

Keywords

Cell death; cell fate; differentiation; embryo suspensor; proliferation; somatic embryogenesis

Published in

Journal of Experimental Botany
2014, Volume: 65, number: 5, pages: 1343-1360 Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

SLU Authors

• Bozhkov, Peter

  • Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Developmental Biology
Plant Biotechnology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eru005

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/57540