title: Programmed cell death during development of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) seed coat.
abstract: The seed coat develops primarily from maternal tissues and comprises multiple cell layers at maturity, providing a metabolically dynamic interface between the developing embryo and the environment during embryogenesis, dormancy and germination of seeds. Seed coat development involves dramatic cellular changes, and the aim of this research was to investigate the role of programmed cell death (PCD) events during the development of seed coats of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]. We demonstrate that cells of the developing cowpea seed coats undergo a programme of autolytic cell death, detected as cellular morphological changes in nuclei, mitochondria, chloroplasts and vacuoles, DNA fragmentation and oligonucleosome accumulation in the cytoplasm, and loss of membrane viability. We show for the first time that classes 6 and 8 caspase-like enzymes are active during seed coat development, and that these activities may be compartmentalized by translocation between vacuoles and cytoplasm during PCD events.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, CEP: 28013-602, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nathália Bastos
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Fernanda Gomes
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Trindade
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.forename: Antônia Elenir Amâncio
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Topping
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindsey
authors.forename: Kátia Valevski Sales
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D053178:Caspase 6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D018525:Germination; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D053178:Caspase 6; D053181:Caspase 8
keywords: caspase-like enzymes; cowpea; seed development