title: The Maternal-to-Zygotic Transition in Higher Plants: Available Approaches, Critical Limitations, and Technical Requirements.
abstract: Fertilization marks the turnover from the gametophyte to sporophyte generation in higher plants. After fertilization, sporophytic development undergoes genetic turnover from maternal to zygotic control: the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT). The MZT is thought to be critical for early embryogenesis; however, little is known about the time course or developmental impact of the MZT in higher plants. Here, we discuss what is known in the field and focus on techniques used in relevant studies and their limitations. Some significant questions and technical requirements for further investigations are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. Electronic address: mxsun@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Meng-Xiang
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000196:embryology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012639:Seeds / Q000196:embryology; D015053:Zygote / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: De novo transcription; Embryogenesis; Maternal effect; RNA degradation; Zygotic genome activation