Long and short-range signaling systems in plants have previously been attributed to plant hormones. In animals, peptide signaling is the major mechanism in cell-cell communication, although little is known about this system in plants. The Cysteine-Rich Peptides (CRP) forms an emerging class of potential signaling ligands, which have been implicated in several signaling events during plant reproduction. However, little is known about their role during seed development. Recent studies have identified a significant number of CRP encoding genes in Arabidopsis thaliana of unknown function. A sub-class of MEG1-related CRPs were identified in seeds. These peptides contain 8 and 12 conserved cysteine residues, and undergo a rapid turnover by protein ubiquitination. A subgroup of these genes (AtMEG13/14/15) are expressed in the central cell and in the embryo-surrounding region of the endosperm during early seed development. Functional analysis of these peptides revealed seed abnormalities associated with defects in suspensor development and embryo patterning. Genetic analyses revealed that these genes are required before and after fertilization for correct embryo development. In addition, they also act in a parallel pathway to the SHORT SUSPENSOR to regulate early embryo development through the YODA mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. My findings highlight the novel existence of extra-embryonic factors that regulate early embryo development in plants.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:560172 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Marshall, Eleanor Jane |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/49035/ |
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