Abstract
Zygotic embryogenesis begins with the double fertilization event in which the egg cell of the female gametophyte fuses with one sperm nucleus to form the zygote, and the central cell fuses with another sperm nucleus to form the endosperm mother cell (Russell, 1993). The single-celled zygote then undergoes a series of differentiation events, resulting in the formation of a mature embryo. The basic body plan of the plant is established during the early morphogenesis phase of embryogenesis. During this period, regional specification events establish morphological domains within the developing embryo, the polarity of the embryo is expressed as a shoot-root axis, the embryonic tissue and organ systems are formed, and the rudimentary shoot and root apices develop (Goldberg et al., 1994; Jurgens, 2001; West and Harada, 1993). In seed plants, this early embryonic period is followed by the maturation phase in which the embryo acquires the ability to withstand desiccation, storage reserves in the form of proteins, lipids, and starch accumulate in the embryo and/or endosperm, and the embryo becomes metabolically quiescent as a result of desiccation (Bewley, 1997; Harada, 1997; Koornneef and Karssen, 1994). The seed generally remains in a quiescent state until environmental conditions signal the embryo to germinate.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Baumlein, H., Misera, S., Luerben, H., Kolle, K., Horstmann, C., Wobus, U., and Muller, A. J. 1994. The FUS3 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana is a regulator of gene expression during late embryogenesis. Plant J. 6: 379–387.
Bewley, J. D. 1997. Seed germination and dormancy. Plant Cell 9: 1055–1066.
Dodeman, V. L., Ducreux, G., and Kreis, M. 1997. Zygotic embryogenesis versus somatic embryogenesis. J. Exp. Bot. 48: 1493–1509.
Edwards, D., Murray, J. A. H., and Smith, A. G. 1998. Multiple genes encoding the conserved CCAAT-box transcription factor complex are expressed in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. 117: 1015–1022.
Ezcurra, I., Wycliffe, P., Nehlin, L., Ellestrom, M., and Rask, L. 2000. Transactivation of the Brassica napus napin promoter by ABI3 requires interaction of the conserved B2 and B3 domains of ABI3 with different cis-elements: B2 mediates activation through an ABRE, whereas B3 interacts with an RY/G-box. Plant J. 24: 57–66.
Goldberg, R. B., de Paiva, G., and Yadegari, R. 1994. Plant embryogenesis: zygote to seed. Science 266: 605–614.
Gusmaroli, G., Tonelli, C., and Mantovani, R. 2001. Regulation of the CCAAT-binding NF-Y subunits in Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene 264: 173–185.
Harada, J. J. 1997. Seed maturation and control of germination. In: Advances in Cellular and Molecular Biology of Plants, Volume 4, Cellular and Molecular Biology of Seed Development. ( B. A. Larkins, and I. K. Vasil, eds.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 545–592.
Harada, J. J. 2001. Role of Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON genes in seed development. J. Plant Physiol. 158: 405–409.
Harada, J. J. 2001. Role of Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON genes in seed development. J. Plant Physiol. 17: 1405–1411.
Jurgens, G. 2001. Apical-basal pattern formation in Arabidopsis embryogenesis. EMBO J. 20: 3609–3616.
Kagaya, Y., Ohmiya, K., and Hattori, T. 1999. RAVI, a novel DNA-binding protein, binds to bipartite recognition sequence through two distinct DNA-binding domains uniquely found in higher plants. Nuc. Acids Res. 27: 470–478.
Keith, K., Kraml, M., Dengler, N. G., and McCourt, P. 1994. fusca3: a heterochronic mutation affecting late embryo development in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 6: 589–600.
Koltunow, A. M. 1993. Apomixis: Embryo sacs and embryos formed without meiosis or fertilization in ovules. Plant Cell 5: 1425–1437.
Koltunow, A. M., Bicknell, R. A., and Chaudhury, A. M. 1995. Apomixis: Molecular strategies for the generation of genetically identical seeds without fertilization. Plant Physiol. 108: 1345–1352.
Koornneef, M., and Karssen, C. M. 1994. Seed Dormancy and Germination, in: Arabidopsis ( E. M. Meyerowitz, and C. R. Somerville, eds.), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, pp. 313–334.
Lotan, T., Ohto, M., Yee, K. M., West, M. A. L., Lo, R., Kwong, R. W., Yamagishi, K., Fischer, R. L., Goldberg, R. B., and Harada, J. J. 1998. Arabidopsis LEAFY COTYLEDON! is sufficient to induce embryo development in vegetative cells. Cell 93: 1195–1205.
Luerssen, H., Kirik, V., Herrmann, P., and Misera, S. 1998. FUSCA3 encodes a protein with a conserved VP I/AB13-like B3 domain which is of functional importance for the regulation of seed maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana.. Plant J. 15: 755–764.
Maity, S. N., and de Crombrugghe, B. 1998. Role of the CCAAT-binding protein CBF/NF-Y in transcription. Trends Biochem. Sci. 23: 174–178.
Mantovani, R.. 1999. The molecular biology of the CCAAT-binding factor NF-Y. Gene 239: 15–27.
McCarty, D. R., Carson, C. B., Stinard, P. S., and Robertson, D. S. 1989. Molecular analysis of viviparous-I: an abscisic acid-insensitive mutant maize. Plant Cell 1: 523–532.
Meinke, D. W. 1992. A homoeotic mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana with leafy cotyledons. Science 258: 1647–1650.
Meinke, D. W., Franzmann, L. H., Nickle, T. C., and Yeung, E. C. 1994. Ob, cotyledon mutants of Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 6: 1049–1064.
Reidt, W., Wohlfarth, T., Ellerstroem, M., Czihal, A., Tewes, A., Ezcurra, I., Rask, L., and Baumlein, H. 2000. Gene regulation during late embryogenesis: The RY motif of maturation-specific gene promoters is a direct target of the FUS3 gene product. Plant J. 21: 401–408.
Reynolds, T. L. 1997. Pollen embryogenesis. Plant Mol. Biol. 33: 1–10.
Russell, S. D. 1993. The egg cell: Development and role in fertilization and early embryogenesis. Plant Cell 5: 1349–1359.
B., and Harada, J. J. 2001. LEAFY COTYLEDON2 encodes a B3 domain transcription factor that induces embryo development. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98: 11806–11811.
Suzuki, M., Kao, C. Y., and McCarty, D. R. 1997. The conserved B3 domain of VIVIPAROUS1 has a cooperative DNA binding activity. Plant Cell 9: 799–807.
Ulmasov, T., Hagen, G., and Guilfoyle, T. J. 1997. ARF1, a transcription factor that binds to auxin response elements. Science 276: 1865–1868.
West, M. A., and Harada, J. J. 1993. Embryogenesis in higher plants: An overview. Plant Cell 5: 1361–1369.
West, M. A. L., Matsudaira Yee, K. L., Danao, J., Zimmerman, J. L., Fischer, R. L., Goldberg, R. B., and Harada, J. J. 1994. LEAFY COTYLEDON I is an essential regulator of late embryogenesis and cotyledon identity in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 6: 1731–1745.
Zimmerman, J. L. 1993. Somatic embryogenesis: A model for early development in higher plants. Plant Cell 5: 1411–1423.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Harada, J.J., Stone, S.L., Kwong, R.W., Lee, Hs., Kwong, L.W., Pelletier, J. (2003). Leafy Cotyledon Genes and the Control of Embryo Development. In: Vasil, I.K. (eds) Plant Biotechnology 2002 and Beyond. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2679-5_53
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2679-5_53
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-6220-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-017-2679-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive