title: A calcium dialog mediated by the FERONIA signal transduction pathway controls plant sperm delivery.
abstract: Sperm delivery for double fertilization of flowering plants relies on interactions between the pollen tube (PT) and two synergids, leading to programmed cell death (PCD) of the PT and one synergid. The mechanisms underlying the communication among these cells during PT reception is unknown. We discovered that the synergids control this process by coordinating their distinct calcium signatures in response to the calcium dynamics and growth behavior of the PT. Induced and spontaneous aberrant calcium responses in the synergids abolish the two coordinated PCD events. Components of the FERONIA (FER) signaling pathway are required for initiating and modulating these calcium responses and for coupling the PCD events. Intriguingly, the calcium signatures are interchangeable between the two synergids, implying that their fates of death and survival are determined by reversible interactions with the PT. Thus, complex intercellular interactions involving a receptor kinase pathway and calcium-mediated signaling control sperm delivery in plants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: qango@access.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Quy A
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vogler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dmytro S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lituiev
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nestorova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Biology and Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: grossnik@botinst.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Ueli
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grossniklaus
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D055993:Germ Cells, Plant; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011058:Pollen / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D053205:Pollen Tube / Q000196:embryology; D054817:Pollination / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D015398:Signal Transduction; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002118:Calcium; D010770:Phosphotransferases; C522131:At3g51550 protein, Arabidopsis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases