title: A role for an endosperm-localized subtilase in the control of seed size in legumes.
abstract: Here, we report a subtilase gene (SBT1.1) specifically expressed in the endosperm of Medicago truncatula and Pisum sativum seeds during development, which is located at a chromosomal position coinciding with a seed weight quantitative trait locus (QTL). Association studies between SBT1.1 polymorphisms and seed weights in ecotype collections provided further evidence for linkage disequilibrium between the SBT1.1 locus and a seed weight locus. To investigate the possible contribution of SBT1.1 to the control of seed weight, a search for TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes) mutants was performed. An inspection of seed phenotype revealed a decreased weight and area of the sbt1.1 mutant seeds, thus inferring a role of SBT1.1 in the control of seed size in the forage and grain legume species. Microscopic analyses of the embryo, representing the major part of the seed, revealed a reduced number of cells in the MtP330S mutant, but no significant variation in cell size. SBT1.1 is therefore most likely to be involved in the control of cotyledon cell number, rather than cell expansion, during seed development. This raises the hypothesis of a role of SBT1.1 in the regulation of seed size by providing molecules that can act as signals to control cell division within the embryo.
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: D'Erfurth
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Le Signor
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aubert
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vernoud
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Darchy
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lherminier
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bourion
authors.affiliation: INRA/CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Unité de Recherche en Génomique Végétale, CP5708, 91057, Evry, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bouteiller
authors.affiliation: INRA/CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Unité de Recherche en Génomique Végétale, CP5708, 91057, Evry, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bendahmane
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1345 Institut de Recherche en Horticulture et Semences, SFR 4207 QUASAV, 49045, Angers, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buitink
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1334 Amélioration Génétique et Adaptation des Plantes, 34060, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Prosperi
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burstin
authors.affiliation: INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UMR1347 Agroécologie, BP 86510, F-21000, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gallardo
mesh_terms: D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D056625:Endosperm / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D046913:Medicago truncatula / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D009154:Mutation; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012639:Seeds / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D013381:Subtilisins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D013381:Subtilisins; C119297:subtilase, plant