Transcription profile analysis reveals that zygotic division results in uneven distribution of specific transcripts in apical/basal cells of tobacco.
BACKGROUND
Asymmetric zygotic division in higher plants results in the formation of an apical cell and a basal cell. These two embryonic cells possess distinct morphologies and cell developmental fates. It has been proposed that unevenly distributed cell fate determinants and/or distinct cell transcript profiles may be the underlying reason for their distinct fates. However, neither of these hypotheses has convincing support due to technical limitations.


RESULTS
Using laser-controlled microdissection, we isolated apical and basal cells and constructed cell type-specific cDNA libraries. Transcript profile analysis revealed difference in transcript composition. PCR and qPCR analysis confirmed that transcripts of selected embryogenesis-related genes were cell-type preferentially distributed. Some of the transcripts that existed in zygotes were found distinctly existed in apical or basal cells. The cell type specific de novo transcription was also found after zygotic cell division.


CONCLUSIONS
Thus, we found that the transcript diversity occurs between apical and basal cells. Asymmetric zygotic division results in the uneven distribution of some embryogenesis related transcripts in the two-celled proembryos, suggesting that a differential distribution of some specific transcripts in the apical or basal cells may involve in guiding the two cell types to different developmental destinies.
Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Plant Developmental Biology, College of Life Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Ligang
L
Ma
Haiping
H
Xin
Lianghuan
L
Qu
Jing
J
Zhao
Libo
L
Yang
Peng
P
Zhao
Mengxiang
M
Sun
D002455:Cell Division; D016764:Cell Polarity; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D042282:Microdissection; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015053:Zygote / Q000166:cytology*
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