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Sci. Signal., 17 March 2009
Vol. 2, Issue 62, p. ec100
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.262ec100]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Plant Biology Paternal Influences on Zygote Development

Pamela J. Hines

Science, AAAS, Washington, DC 20005, USA

The signals that get embryonic development going in plants reveal a finely timed interaction between paternal and maternal gametes. Bayer et al. (see the Perspective by Grossniklaus) have discovered the messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding a kinase SSP in the paternal pollen grains. After fertilization and fusion of male and female gametes, the mRNA is translated into the SSP protein. SSP then triggers activity of YODA, a kinase supplied from the maternal gamete. YODA in turn regulates early phases of zygotic development. In this way, embryonic development begins only after fusion of male and female gametes.

M. Bayer, T. Nawy, C. Giglione, M. Galli, T. Meinnel, W. Lukowitz, Paternal control of embryonic patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana. Science 323, 1485–1488 (2009). [Abstract] [Full Text]

U. Grossniklaus, Paternal patterning cue. Science 323, 1439–1440 (2009). [Summary] [Full Text]

Citation: P. J. Hines, Paternal Influences on Zygote Development. Sci. Signal. 2, ec100 (2009).

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