A dialogue between the SIRENE pathway in synergids and the fertilization independent seed pathway in the central cell controls male gamete release during double fertilization in Arabidopsis.
Angiosperms sexual reproduction involves interactions between the two female gametes in the embryo sac and the two male gametes released by the pollen tube. The two synergids of the embryo sac express the FERONIA/SIRENE receptor-like kinase, which controls the discharge of the two sperm cells from the pollen tube. FER/SRN may respond to a ligand from the pollen tube. Alternatively, the interaction between FER/SRN and a ligand from the embryo sac may lead to a state of competence of the synergids allowing pollen tube discharge. Here, we report the new mutant scylla (syl) impaired in the control of pollen tube discharge. This mutant also produces autonomous endosperm development in absence of fertilization-a trait associated with the FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT SEED (FIS) mutant class. This led us to identify autonomous endosperm in srn mutants and to demonstrate synergistic interactions between srn and the fis mutants. In addition, the fis mutants display defects in pollen tube discharge as in srn and syl mutants, confirming the interaction between the two pathways. Our findings suggest that pollen tube discharge is controlled by an interaction between the synergids expressing SRN/FER and the central cell expressing FIS genes.
Rotman
Nicolas
N
Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon, Unité Mixte de Recherches 5667 Reproduction et développement des plantes, Lyon cedex 07, France.
Gourgues
Mathieu
M
Guitton
Anne-Elisabeth
AE
Faure
Jean-Emmanuel
JE
Berger
Frédéric
F
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D056625:Endosperm / Q000166:cytology; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D056771:Ovule / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D010641:Phenotype; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011058:Pollen / Q000166:cytology*; D053205:Pollen Tube / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D010770:Phosphotransferases; C475821:MSI1 protein, Arabidopsis; C522131:At3g51550 protein, Arabidopsis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases