Programmed cell death during endosperm development

The endosperm of cereals functions as a storage tissue in which the majority of starch and seed storage proteins are synthesized. During its development, cereal endosperm initiates a cell death program that eventually affects the entire tissue with the exception of the outermost cells, which differentiate into the aleurone layer and remain living in the mature seed. To date, the cell death program has been described for maize and wheat endosperm, which exhibits common and unique elements for each species. The progression of endosperm programmed cell death (PCD) in both species is accompanied by an increase in nuclease activity and the internucleosomal degradation of nuclear DNA, hallmarks of apoptosis in animals. Moreover, ethylene and abscisic acid are key to mediating PCD in cereal endosperm. The progression of the cell death program in developing maize endosperm follows a highly organized pattern whereas in wheat endosperm, PCD initiates stochastically. Although the essential characteristics of cereal endosperm PCD are now known, the molecular mechanisms responsible for its execution remain to be identified.     

Regulation of programmed cell death in maize endosperm by abscisic acid

Cereal endosperm undergoes programmed cell death (PCD) during its development, a process that is controlled, in part, by ethylene. Whether other hormones influence endosperm PCD has not been investigated. Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an essential role during late seed development that enables an embryo to survive desiccation. To examine whether ABA is also involved in regulating the onset of PCD during endosperm development, we have used genetic and biochemical means to disrupt ABA biosynthesis or perception during maize kernel development. The onset and progression of cell death, as determined by viability staining and the appearance of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, was accelerated in developing endosperm of ABA-insensitive vp1 and ABA-deficient vp9 mutants. Ethylene was synthesized in vp1 and vp9 mutant kernels at levels that were 2–4-fold higher than in wild-type kernels. Moreover, the increase and timing of ethylene production correlated with the premature onset and accelerated progression of internucleosomal fragmentation in these mutants. Treatment of developing wild-type endosperm with fluridone, an inhibitor of ABA biosynthesis, recapitulated the increase in ethylene production and accelerated execution of the PCD program that was observed in the ABA mutant kernels. These data suggest that a balance between ABA and ethylene establishes the appropriate onset and progression of programmed cell death during maize endosperm development.     

The ethylene biosynthetic and perception machinery is differentially expressed during endosperm and embryo development in maize

The maize endosperm undergoes programmed cell death late in its development so that, with the exception of the aleurone layer, the tissue is dead by the time the kernel matures. Although ethylene is known to regulate the onset of endosperm cell death, the temporal and spatial control of the ethylene biosynthetic and perception machinery during maize endosperm development has not been examined. In this study, we report the isolation of the maize gene families for ACC synthase, ACC oxidase, the ethylene receptor, and EIN2 and EIL, which act downstream of the receptor. We show that ACC oxidase is expressed primarily in the endosperm, and only at low levels in the developing embryo late in its development. ACC synthase is expressed throughout endosperm development but, in contrast to ACC oxidase, it is transiently expressed to a significantly higher level in the developing embryo at a time that corresponds with the onset of endosperm cell death. Only two ethylene receptor gene families were identified in maize, in contrast to the five types previously identified in Arabidopsis. Members of both ethylene receptor families were expressed to substantially higher levels in the developing embryo than in the endosperm, as were members of the EIN2 and EIL gene families. These results suggest that the endosperm and embryo both contribute to the synthesis of ethylene, and they provide a basis for understanding why the developing endosperm is especially sensitive to ethylene-induced cell death while the embryo is protected.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at Communicated by G. Jürgens     

Exogenous abscisic acid impacts the development of isolated immature endosperm in bread wheat

Endosperm in cereals such as wheat, is a part of the mature seeds and a valuable source of key substances for humans and animals. For this reason, the development of immature endosperm tissues in planta was the focus of this research. However, it is commonly known that tissue culture conditions can alter the developmental pathway of plant cells and can expose their potency. There is scarce information about research on isolated endosperm in wheat. The development of isolated immature endosperm in the winter bread wheat variety ‘Kobra’, depending on the media composition, is presented in this study. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a key plant growth regulator for proper seed development. The addition of exogenous ABA had a positive impact on the size and ultrastructural features in isolated endosperm, especially of the outer aleurone-like cells. Furthermore, the content of starch in the endosperm cultured on a medium with ABA did not significantly differ from that of caryopsis at the same age, in contrast to soluble carbohydrates. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining and confocal microscopy observation confirmed the viability of the cells from the outer layers. The analysis of internucleosomal fragmentation of DNA in the explants suggests the induction of programmed cell death (PCD) and DNA degradation typical of necrosis. We concluded that the development of isolated immature endosperm in bread wheat depends on the composition of the media. Thus, it could be a model for in vitro studies of this specific storage tissue and its response to culture conditions in bread wheat.

     

Ethylene-Mediated Programmed Cell Death during Maize Endosperm Development of Wild-Type and shrunken2 Genotypes

We characterized the progression of programmed cell death during maize (Zea mays L.) endosperm development of starchy (Su; wild-type) and shrunken2 (sh2) genotypes and tested the involve ment of ethylene in mediating this process. Histological and viability staining demonstrated that endosperm cell death was initiated earlier and progressed more rapidly in sh2 endosperm compared with Su endosperm. Internucleosomal DNA fragmentation accompanied endosperm cell death and occurred more extensively in sh2 endosperm. 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid levels peaked approximately 16 d after pollination (dap) in Su endosperm and gradually decreased during subsequent development, whereas two large 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid peaks were observed in sh2 endosperm, the first between 16 and 20 dap and the second at 36 dap. Ethylene levels were elevated in sh2 kernels compared with Su kernels, with an initial peak 20 dap approximately 3-fold higher than in Su kernels and a second peak 36 dap approximately 5-fold higher than that in Su kernels. Ethylene treatment of Su kernels resulted in earlier and more extensive endosperm cell death and DNA fragmentation. Aminoethoxyvinylglycine treatment of sh2 kernels reduced the extent of DNA fragmentation. We conclude that ethylene is involved in triggering programmed cell death in developing maize endosperm and is responsible for the aberrant phenotype of sh2 kernels.     

小麦淀粉胚乳发育期间的程序性细胞死亡

小麦淀粉胚乳在发育过程中经历程序性细胞死亡(PCD).小麦淀粉胚乳的DNA在发育的特定阶段呈现梯状电泳条带,用乙烯处理使DNA片段化发生的时间提前,而且ABA处理虽然不能推迟DNA片段化的发生时间,但能减弱DNA片段化的程度.小麦淀粉胚乳细胞在PCD过程中出现某些动植物细胞凋亡的共同的结构变化特征,但也有一些独特的结构变化.如染色质凝聚后仅少数染色质块发生趋边化;细胞核在PCD过程中最先开始衰退,细胞核解体时胞质中有丰富的细胞器,细胞核解体后细胞并未死亡,在胞质中仍在合成和积累淀粉和储藏蛋白,直到细胞被淀粉充满,细胞才死亡;不形成凋亡小体,死亡的淀粉胚乳细胞成为营养物质的储藏库.因此小麦淀粉胚乳细胞的PCD是一种特殊形式的PCD.     

Rice caryopsis development Ⅱ: Dynamic changes in the endosperm

The rice endosperm plays crucial roles in nourishing the embryo during embryogenesis and seed germination. Although previous studies have provided the general information about rice endosperm, a systematic investigation throughout the entire endosperm developmental process is still lacking. In this study, we examined in detail rice endosperm development on a daily basis throughout the 30‐day period of post‐fertilization development. We observed that coenocytic nuclear division occurred in the first 2 days after pollination (DAP), cellularization occurred between 3 and 5 DAP, differentiation of the aleurone and starchy endosperm occurred between 6 and 9 DAP, and accumulation of storage products occurred concurrently with the aleurone/starchy endosperm differentiation from 6 DAP onwards and was accomplished by 21 DAP. Changes in cytoplasmic membrane permeability, possibly caused by programmed cell death, were observed in the central region of the starchy endosperm at 8 DAP, and expanded to the whole starchy endosperm at 21 DAP when the aleurone is the only living component in the endosperm. Further, we observed that a distinct multi‐layered dorsal aleurone formed near the dorsal vascular bundle, while the single‐ or occasionally two‐cell layered aleurone was located in the lateral and ventral positions of endosperm. Our results provide in detail the dynamic changes in mitotic divisions, cellularization, cell differentiation, storage product accumulation, and programmed cell death that occur during rice endosperm development.     

The release of cytochrome c and the regulation of the programmed cell death progress in the endosperm of winter wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.) under waterlogging

It has been shown in mammalian systems that the mitochondria can play a key role in the regulation of apoptosis by releasing intermembrane proteins (such as cytochrome c) into the cytosol. Cytochrome c released from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm activates proteolytic enzyme cascades, leading to specific nuclear DNA degradation and cell death. This pathway is considered to be one of the important regulatory mechanisms of apoptosis. Previous studies have shown that endosperm cell development in wheat undergoes specialized programmed cell death (PCD) and that waterlogging stress accelerates the PCD process; however, little is known regarding the associated molecular mechanism. In this study, changes in mitochondrial structure, the release of cytochrome c, and gene expression were studied in the endosperm cells of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar “huamai 8” during PCD under different waterlogging durations. The results showed that waterlogging aggravated the degradation of mitochondrial structure, increased the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), and decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm), resulting in the advancement of the endosperm PCD process. In situ localization and western blotting of cytochrome c indicated that with the development of the endosperm cell, cytochrome c was gradually released from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm, and waterlogging stress led to an advancement and increase in the release of cytochrome c. In addition, waterlogging stress resulted in the increased expression of the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) and adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT), suggesting that the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) may be involved in endosperm PCD under waterlogging stress. The MPTP inhibitor cyclosporine A effectively suppressed cell death and cytochrome c release during wheat endosperm PCD. Our results indicate that the mitochondria play important roles in the PCD of endosperm cells and that the increase in mitochondrial damage and corresponding release of cytochrome c may be one of the major causes of endosperm PCD advancement under waterlogging.     

利用高灵敏的TSA-FISH在玉米中定位bz1、bz2基因(英文)

植物中 ,程序性细胞死亡 (PCD)发生在植物生殖和发育的许多方面 ,已有的研究表明 ,在玉米种子的发育过程中 ,胚乳组织经历了程序性细胞死亡的过程。bz1 (bronze)和bz2是与种子的糊粉层发育相关的花青素生物合成基因 ,在玉米基因组中 ,bz1基因所在区域是重组热点 ,bz2与类黄酮的酰化、糖基化、转运、沉积等有关 ,基因的物理定位有利于基因的分离和克隆。TSA FISH (Tyramidesignalamplificationfluorescenceinsituhybridization)是一种新颖的高灵敏度的荧光原位杂交技术 ,它的主要反应原理是辣根过氧化物酶催化过氧化氢和标记的酪胺分子 (tyramide)的苯环部分反应 ,使荧光标记的酪胺分子在直接带有或间接带有HRP报告分子的探针周围沉积 ,信号因此得以极大的放大 ,从而大大提高了荧光原位杂交技术的灵敏度 ,90年代中期开始引入动物和人类组织化学和细胞遗传学研究中 ,2 0 0 1年才应用于植物细胞遗传学的研究。利用这一技术 ,我们将bz1基因定位于玉米的第 9染色体的短臂和第 1染色体的长臂上 ,其信号点距着丝粒的百分距离分别为 40 .2 ,75 .4;bz2基因定位于玉米的第 1染色体的长臂和第 5染色体的短臂上 ,其信号点距着丝粒的百分距离分别为2 1 .6,1 5 .3。本文讨论了TSA FISH技术在植物中小的、低拷贝的DNA序     

Starch Synthesis and Programmed Cell Death during Endosperm Development in Triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack)

Triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) grains synthesize and accumulate starch as their main energy source.Starch accumulation rate and synthesis activities of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, soluble starch synthases, granule-bound starch synthase and starch-branching enzyme showed similar pattern of unimodal curves during endosperm development. There was no significant difference in activity of the starch granule-bound protein isolated from total and separated starch granules at different developmental stages after anthesis in triticale. Evans Blue staining and analysis of DNA fragmentation indicated that cells of triticale endosperm undergo programmed cell death during its development. Dead cells within the endosperm were detected at 6 d post anthesis (DPA), and evidence of DNA fragmentation was first observed at 21 DPA. The period between initial detection of PCD to its rapid increase overlapped with the key stages of rapid starch accumulation during endosperm development. Cell death occurred stochastically throughout the whole endosperm, meanwhile, the activities of starch biosynthetic enzymes and the starch accumulation rate decreased in the late stages of grain filling. These results suggested that the timing and progression of PCD in triticale endosperm may interfere with starch synthesis and accumulation.     

Starch Synthesis and Programmed Cell Death during Endosperm Development in Triticale(× Triticosecale Wittmack)

Triticale(× Triticosecale Wittmack) grains synthesize and accumulate starch as their main energy source.Starch accumulation rate and synthesis activities of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase,soluble starch synthases,granule-bound starch synthase and starch-branching enzyme showed similar pattern of unimodal curves during endosperm development.There was no significant difference in activity of the starch granule-bound protein isolated from total and separated starch granules at different developmental stages after anthesis in triticale.Evans Blue staining and analysis of DNA fragmentation indicated that cells of triticale endosperm undergo programmed cell death during its development.Dead cells within the endosperm were detected at 6 d post anthesis(DPA),and evidence of DNA fragmentation was first observed at 21 DPA.The period between initial detection of PCD to its rapid increase overlapped with the key stages of rapid starch accumulation during endosperm development.Cell death occurred stochastically throughout the whole endosperm,meanwhile,the activities of starch biosynthetic enzymes and the starch accumulation rate decreased in the late stages of grain filling.These results suggested that the timing and progression of PCD in triticale endosperm may interfere with starch synthesis and accumulation.     

Spatial and temporal progress of programmed cell death in the developing starchy endosperm of rice

Programmed cell death (PCD) is the genetically regulated disassembly of cells, and occurs in the endosperm of cereals during seed maturation. Since PCD determines the lifetime of cells, it can affect endosperm growth and, therefore, cereal yield. However, the features and mechanisms of PCD in the developing starchy endosperm in the Poaceae remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the characteristics of PCD in developing starchy endosperm of rice (Oryza sativa L.) by fluorescence microscopy, focusing on the spatial and temporal progress of PCD-associated responses. Cell death commenced in the central region of starchy endosperm, and then spread to the peripheral region. PCD-associated responses, such as mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and activation of the protease that cleaves the amino acid sequence VEID, showed similar spatial patterns to that of cell death, but preceded cell death. Degradation of nuclear DNA could not be detected in developing starchy endosperm by the TUNEL assay. These results indicated that PCD in developing starchy endosperm of rice proceeds via a highly organized pattern. In addition, these results suggested that PCD in developing starchy endosperm of rice is characterized by the involvement of mitochondrial signaling and the activity of a caspase-like protease that cleaves the VEID sequence.     

Chromosome organization in wheat endosperm and embryo

We have analysed the chromosome organization in endosperm and embryo of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), in order to compare these tissues with developing anthers, in which the centromeres associate, and the developing root xylem vessel cells, in which the chromosomes endoreduplicate to become polytene and associate via their centromeres. Both endosperm and embryo showed a typical Rabl configuration and a degree of non-homologous centromere association and the endosperm also showed extensive telomere association. Wheat endosperm is initially triploid and during its development a percentage of the nuclei increase their DNA content to 6C and 12C. 6C nuclei showed twice as many centromeres as 3C nuclei and the centromere number increased further in 12C nuclei. The higher the C-content of a nucleus the more the telomeres associated in endosperm. The vast majority of 12C nuclei showed six rye chromosome arms, although a few showed three associated groups of rye chromosome arms. This means that during endosperm development wheat nuclei show both polyploidization and polytenization.     

Replication of a geminivirus derived shuttle vector in maize endosperm cells.

A maize (Zea mays L.) endosperm cell culture has been shown to efficiently replicate DNA sequences derived from wheat dwarf virus (WDV), a monopartite monocot geminivirus. To analyze sequences necessary for viral replication and to verify their application for a plant gene expression vector, we have developed a 3.7 kilobase pairs Escherichia coli--plant cell shuttle vector, pWI-11. The p15A origin of replication, functional in E. coli, was introduced into the viral sequences. We have replaced the coding region of the coat protein gene by that of bacterial neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPT II) gene. The resulting NPT II gene fusion can serve as a selectable marker in both plant and E. coli systems. Into a unique cloning site in this pWI-11 vector, we introduced a gene fusion carrying the bacterial beta-glucuronidase (GUS) coding region under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV35S) gene promoter and terminator. By transferring these viral sequences into protoplasts derived from maize endosperm cell cultures, we have demonstrated that the plasmid pWI-11 can replicate in maize endosperm cells, that the GUS reporter gene introduced into pWI-11 can be expressed at high level in the transformed cells, and that the replicating viral DNA can be rescued from endosperm cells by transforming E. coli in the presence of kanamycin. The level of GUS gene expression increased progressively in transformed endosperm cells during a prolonged culture period, coinciding with replication of the viral sequences in these cells.     

Starch biosynthesis in cereal endosperm

Stored starch generally consists of two d-glucose homopolymers, the linear polymer amylose and a highly branched glucan amylopectin that connects linear chains. Amylopectin structurally contributes to the crystalline organization of the starch granule in cereals. In the endosperm, amylopectin biosynthesis requires the proper execution of a coordinated series of enzymatic reactions involving ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), soluble starch synthase (SS), starch branching enzyme (BE), and starch debranching enzyme (DBE), whereas amylose is synthesized by AGPase and granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS). It is highly possible that plastidial starch phosphorylase (Pho1) plays an important role in the formation of primers for starch biosynthesis in the endosperm. Recent advances in our understanding of the functions of individual enzyme isoforms have provided new insights into how linear polymer chains and branch linkages are synthesized in cereals. In particular, genetic analyses of a suite of mutants have formed the basis of a new model outlining the role of various enzyme isoforms in cereal starch production. In our current review, we summarize the recent research findings related to starch biosynthesis in cereal endosperm, with a particular focus on rice.     

Developmental analysis of maize endosperm proteome suggests a pivotal role for pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase

Although the morphological steps of maize (Zea mays) endosperm development are well described, very little is known concerning the coordinated accumulation of the numerous proteins involved. Here, we present a proteomic study of maize endosperm development. The accumulation pattern of 409 proteins at seven developmental stages was examined. Hierarchical clustering analysis allowed four main developmental profiles to be recognized. Comprehensive investigation of the functions associated with clusters resulted in a consistent picture of the developmental coordination of cellular processes. Early stages, devoted to cellularization, cell division, and cell wall deposition, corresponded to maximal expression of actin, tubulins, and cell organization proteins, of respiration metabolism (glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle), and of protection against reactive oxygen species. An important protein turnover, which is likely associated with the switch from growth and differentiation to storage, was also suggested from the high amount of proteases. A relative increase of abundance of the glycolytic enzymes compared to tricarboxylic acid enzymes is consistent with the recent demonstration of anoxic conditions during starch accumulation in the endosperm. The specific late-stage accumulation of the pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase may suggest a critical role of this enzyme in the starch-protein balance through inorganic pyrophosphate-dependent restriction of ADP-glucose synthesis in addition to its usually reported influence on the alanine-aromatic amino acid synthesis balance.     

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors in maize endosperm and their potential role in endoreduplication

Two maize (Zea mays) cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, Zeama;KRP;1 and Zeama;KRP;2, were characterized and shown to be expressed in developing endosperm. Similar to the CDK inhibitors in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), the maize proteins contain a carboxy-terminal region related to the inhibitory domain of the mammalian Cip/Kip inhibitors. Zeama;KRP;1 is present in the endosperm between 7 and 21 d after pollination, a period that encompasses the onset of endoreduplication, while the Zeama;KRP;2 protein declines during this time. Nevertheless, Zeama;KRP;1 accounts for only part of the CDK inhibitory activity that peaks coincident with the endoreduplication phase of endosperm development. In vitro assays showed that Zeama;KRP;1 and Zeama;KRP;2 are able to inhibit endosperm Cdc2-related CKD activity that associates with p13(Suc1). They were also shown to specifically inhibit cyclin A1;3- and cyclin D5;1-associated CDK activities, but not cyclin B1;3/CDK. Overexpression of Zeama;KRP;1 in maize embryonic calli that ectopically expressed the wheat dwarf virus RepA protein, which counteracts retinoblastoma-related protein function, led to an additional round of DNA replication without nuclear division.