ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Fruit and Seed Development

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 21283

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to contribute to the Special Issue, “Fruit and Seed Development”.

After fertilization, the ovary of the flower usually develops into fruit. The fruit encloses the seeds containing developing embryos. There are many types of fruits, depending on their origin and texture—the sweet tissue of the strawberry, the red flesh of the tomato, the shell of the coconut, and the hull of corn are all fruits.

Embryo and seed development is a pivotal process in the lifecycle of an angiosperm. It is initiated by the development of both gametophytes and their interactions, followed by the process of double fertilization when two pollen tube-released sperm cells fuse with female gametes. This leads to the development of the embryo and the endosperm. The endosperm, as a nutrient supplier, exerts a profound influence on embryonic growth, but this effect also acts from reverse direction. Embryo and seed development is a complex process involving the coordinated growth of maternal and zygotic tissues regulated by the integrated action of transcriptional, epigenetic, hormonal, and metabolite signalling regulators. A typical seed contains a seed coat, cotyledons, endosperm, and a single embryo. Mature seeds often enter a period of inactivity, known as dormancy, which may last for months, years, or even centuries.

The seed, which is a unit of plant reproduction, is an important source of human food and animal feedstock. Thus, seed size is a key component of seed yield traits and its optimization has been a major goal of plant breeding since the domestication of crop plants.

Being such a key process, fruit and seed development has been the focus of research which includes the use of mutants and multiple omics techniques in order to dissect the key genes involved in its regulation.

This Special Issue aims to provide up-to-date information on various aspects of sexual reproduction, including ovule development, pollen tube attraction, double fertilization, embryo, and seed and fruit development, both from theoretical and practical perspectives as well as considering cellular to molecular biology and genetics to agronomical aspects.

For this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, reviews, and opinion articles.

Prof. Dr. Petr Smýkal
Prof. Dr. David Honys
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fertilization
ovary
fruit development
seed development
vule development
angiosperm
sperm cells
endosperm
female gametes
pollen tube
plant breeding

Published Papers (9 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 3612 KiB  
Article
Cytokinin Response Factor 9 Represses Cytokinin Responses in Flower Development
by Christine Swinka, Eva Hellmann, Paul Zwack, Ramya Banda, Aaron M. Rashotte and Alexander Heyl
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4380; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24054380 - 22 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1246
Abstract
A multi-step phosphorelay system is the main conduit of cytokinin signal transduction. However, several groups of additional factors that also play a role in this signaling pathway have been found—among them the Cytokinin Response Factors (CRFs). In a genetic screen, CRF9 was identified [...] Read more.
A multi-step phosphorelay system is the main conduit of cytokinin signal transduction. However, several groups of additional factors that also play a role in this signaling pathway have been found—among them the Cytokinin Response Factors (CRFs). In a genetic screen, CRF9 was identified as a regulator of the transcriptional cytokinin response. It is mainly expressed in flowers. Mutational analysis indicates that CRF9 plays a role in the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth and silique development. The CRF9 protein is localized in the nucleus and functions as a transcriptional repressor of Arabidopsis Response Regulator 6 (ARR6)—a primary response gene for cytokinin signaling. The experimental data suggest that CRF9 functions as a repressor of cytokinin during reproductive development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 4158 KiB  
Article
Study of Seed Ageing in lpa1-1 Maize Mutant and Two Possible Approaches to Restore Seed Germination
by Federico Colombo, Andrea Pagano, Stefano Sangiorgio, Anca Macovei, Alma Balestrazzi, Fabrizio Araniti and Roberto Pilu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 732; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms24010732 - 01 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1787
Abstract
Phytic acid (PA) is a strong anti-nutritional factor with a key antioxidant role in countering reactive oxygen species. Despite the potential benefits of low phytic acid (lpa) mutants, the reduction of PA causes pleiotropic effects, e.g., reduced seed germination and viability [...] Read more.
Phytic acid (PA) is a strong anti-nutritional factor with a key antioxidant role in countering reactive oxygen species. Despite the potential benefits of low phytic acid (lpa) mutants, the reduction of PA causes pleiotropic effects, e.g., reduced seed germination and viability loss related to seed ageing. The current study evaluated a historical series of naturally aged seeds and showed that lpa1-1 seeds aged faster as compared to wildtype. To mimic natural ageing, the present study set up accelerated ageing treatments at different temperatures. It was found that incubating the seeds at 57 °C for 24 h, the wildtype germinated at 82.4% and lpa1-1 at 40%. The current study also hypothesized two possible solutions to overcome these problems: (1) Classical breeding was used to constitute synthetic populations carrying the lpa1-1 mutation, with genes pushing anthocyanin accumulation in the embryo (R-navajo allele). The outcome showed that the presence of R-navajo in the lpa1-1 genotype was not able to improve the germinability (−20%), but this approach could be useful to improve the germinability in non-mutant genotypes (+17%). (2) In addition, hydropriming was tested on lpa1-1 and wildtype seeds, and germination was improved by 20% in lpa1-1, suggesting a positive role of seed priming in restoring germination. Moreover, the data highlighted metabolic differences in the metabolome before and after hydropriming treatment, suggesting that the differences in germination could also be mediated by differences in the metabolic composition induced by the mutation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 6006 KiB  
Article
Knockdown NRPC2, 3, 8, NRPABC1 and NRPABC2 Affects RNAPIII Activity and Disrupts Seed Development in Arabidopsis
by Hailiang Zhao, Yao Qin, Ziyi Xiao, Kun Liang, Dianming Gong, Qin Sun and Fazhan Qiu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(21), 11314; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms222111314 - 20 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1576
Abstract
RNA polymerase III (RNAPIII) contains 17 subunits forming 4 functional domains that control the different stages of RNAPIII transcription and are dedicated to the synthesis of small RNAs such as 5S rRNA and tRNAs. Here, we identified 23 genes encoding these subunits in [...] Read more.
RNA polymerase III (RNAPIII) contains 17 subunits forming 4 functional domains that control the different stages of RNAPIII transcription and are dedicated to the synthesis of small RNAs such as 5S rRNA and tRNAs. Here, we identified 23 genes encoding these subunits in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and further analyzed 5 subunits (NRPC2, NRPC3, NRPC8, NRPABC1, and NRPABC2) encoded by 6 genes with different expression patterns and belonging to different sub-complexes. The knockdown of these genes repressed the expression of 5S rRNA and tRNAs, causing seed developmental arrest at different stages. Among these knockdown mutants, RNA-seq analysis revealed 821 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs), significantly enriched in response to stress, abscisic acid, cytokinins, and the jasmonic acid signaling pathway. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed several hub genes involved in embryo development, carbohydrate metabolic and lipid metabolic processes. We identified numerous unique DEGs between the mutants belonging to pathways, including cell proliferation, ribosome biogenesis, cell death, and tRNA metabolic processes. Thus, NRPC2, NRPC3, NRPC8, NRPABC1, and NRPABC2 control seed development in Arabidopsis by influencing RNAPIII activity and, thus, hormone signaling. Reduced expression of these subunit genes causes an insufficient accumulation of the total RNAPIII, leading to the phenotypes observed following the genetic knockdown of these subunits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 12300 KiB  
Article
Programmed Cell Death in Developing Brachypodium distachyon Grain
by Safia Saada, Charles Ugochukwu Solomon and Sinéad Drea
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 9086; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22169086 - 23 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1912
Abstract
The normal developmental sequence in a grass grain entails the death of several maternal and filial tissues in a genetically regulated process termed programmed cell death (PCD). The progression and molecular aspects of PCD in developing grains have been reported for domesticated species [...] Read more.
The normal developmental sequence in a grass grain entails the death of several maternal and filial tissues in a genetically regulated process termed programmed cell death (PCD). The progression and molecular aspects of PCD in developing grains have been reported for domesticated species such as barley, rice, maize and wheat. Here, we report a detailed investigation of PCD in the developing grain of the wild model species Brachypodium distachyon. We detected PCD in developing Brachypodium grains using molecular and histological approaches. We also identified in Brachypodium the orthologs of protease genes known to contribute to grain PCD and surveyed their expression. We found that, similar to cereals, PCD in the Brachypodium nucellus occurs in a centrifugal pattern following anthesis. However, compared to cereals, the rate of post-mortem clearance in the Brachypodium nucellus is slower. However, compared to wheat and barley, mesocarp PCD in Brachypodium proceeds more rapidly in lateral cells. Remarkably, Brachypodium mesocarp PCD is not coordinated with endosperm development. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that barley and wheat possess more vacuolar processing enzymes that drive nucellar PCD compared to Brachypodium and rice. Our expression analysis highlighted putative grain-specific PCD proteases in Brachypodium. Combined with existing knowledge on grain PCD, our study suggests that the rate of nucellar PCD moderates grain size and that the pattern of mesocarp PCD influences grain shape. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 11646 KiB  
Article
Anatomy and Histochemistry of Seed Coat Development of Wild (Pisum sativum subsp. elatius (M. Bieb.) Asch. et Graebn. and Domesticated Pea (Pisum sativum subsp. sativum L.)
by Lenka Zablatzká, Jana Balarynová, Barbora Klčová, Pavel Kopecký and Petr Smýkal
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(9), 4602; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22094602 - 27 Apr 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3595
Abstract
In angiosperms, the mature seed consists of embryo, endosperm, and a maternal plant-derived seed coat (SC). The SC plays a role in seed filling, protects the embryo, mediates dormancy and germination, and facilitates the dispersal of seeds. SC properties have been modified during [...] Read more.
In angiosperms, the mature seed consists of embryo, endosperm, and a maternal plant-derived seed coat (SC). The SC plays a role in seed filling, protects the embryo, mediates dormancy and germination, and facilitates the dispersal of seeds. SC properties have been modified during the domestication process, resulting in the removal of dormancy, mediated by SC impermeability. This study compares the SC anatomy and histochemistry of two wild (JI64 and JI1794) and two domesticated (cv. Cameor and JI92) pea genotypes. Histochemical staining of five developmental stages: 13, 21, 27, 30 days after anthesis (DAA), and mature dry seeds revealed clear differences between both pea types. SC thickness is established early in the development (13 DAA) and is primarily governed by macrosclereid cells. Polyanionic staining by Ruthenium Red indicated non homogeneity of the SC, with a strong signal in the hilum, the micropyle, and the upper parts of the macrosclereids. High peroxidase activity was detected in both wild and cultivated genotypes and increased over the development peaking prior to desiccation. The detailed knowledge of SC anatomy is important for any molecular or biochemical studies, including gene expression and proteomic analysis, especially when comparing different genotypes and treatments. Analysis is useful for other crop-to-wild-progenitor comparisons of economically important legume crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 9962 KiB  
Article
Characterization of ALBA Family Expression and Localization in Arabidopsis thaliana Generative Organs
by Alena Náprstková, Kateřina Malínská, Lenka Záveská Drábková, Elodie Billey, Dagmar Náprstková, Eva Sýkorová, Cécile Bousquet-Antonelli and David Honys
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(4), 1652; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22041652 - 06 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2859
Abstract
ALBA DNA/RNA-binding proteins form an ancient family, which in eukaryotes diversified into two Rpp25-like and Rpp20-like subfamilies. In most studied model organisms, their function remains unclear, but they are usually associated with RNA metabolism, mRNA translatability and stress response. In plants, the enriched [...] Read more.
ALBA DNA/RNA-binding proteins form an ancient family, which in eukaryotes diversified into two Rpp25-like and Rpp20-like subfamilies. In most studied model organisms, their function remains unclear, but they are usually associated with RNA metabolism, mRNA translatability and stress response. In plants, the enriched number of ALBA family members remains poorly understood. Here, we studied ALBA dynamics during reproductive development in Arabidopsis at the levels of gene expression and protein localization, both under standard conditions and following heat stress. In generative tissues, ALBA proteins showed the strongest signal in mature pollen where they localized predominantly in cytoplasmic foci, particularly in regions surrounding the vegetative nucleus and sperm cells. Finally, we demonstrated the involvement of two Rpp25-like subfamily members ALBA4 and ALBA6 in RNA metabolism in mature pollen supported by their co-localization with poly(A)-binding protein 3 (PABP3). Collectively, we demonstrated the engagement of ALBA proteins in male reproductive development and the heat stress response, highlighting the involvement of ALBA4 and ALBA6 in RNA metabolism, storage and/or translational control in pollen upon heat stress. Such dynamic re-localization of ALBA proteins in a controlled, developmentally and environmentally regulated manner, likely reflects not only their redundancy but also their possible functional diversification in plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1568 KiB  
Article
Variations in Triterpenoid Deposition in Cuticular Waxes during Development and Maturation of Selected Fruits of Rosaceae Family
by Soyol Dashbaldan, Cezary Pączkowski and Anna Szakiel
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(24), 9762; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21249762 - 21 Dec 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2282
Abstract
The process of fruit ripening involves many chemical changes occurring not only in the mesocarp but also in the epicarp, including changes in the triterpenoid content of fruit cuticular waxes that can modify the susceptibility to pathogens and mechanical properties of the fruit [...] Read more.
The process of fruit ripening involves many chemical changes occurring not only in the mesocarp but also in the epicarp, including changes in the triterpenoid content of fruit cuticular waxes that can modify the susceptibility to pathogens and mechanical properties of the fruit surface. The aim of the study was the determination of the ripening-related changes in the triterpenoid content of fruit cuticular waxes of three plant species from the Rosaceae family, including rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa var. “Galicjanka”) and apple (Malus domestica var. “Antonovka”). The triterpenoid and steroid content in chloroform-soluble cuticular waxes was determined by a GC-MS/FID method at four different phenological stages. The profile of identified compounds was rather similar in selected fruit samples with triterpenoids with ursane-, oleanane- and lupane-type carbon skeletons, prevalence of ursolic acid and the composition of steroids. Increasing accumulation of triterpenoids and steroids, as well as the progressive enrichment of the composition of these compounds in cuticular wax during fruit development, was observed. The changes in triterpenoid content resulted from modifications of metabolic pathways, particularly hydroxylation and esterification, that can alter interactions with complementary functional groups of aliphatic constituents and lead to important changes in fruit surface quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 7046 KiB  
Article
Possible Role of Crystal-Bearing Cells in Tomato Fertility and Formation of Seedless Fruits
by Ekaterina N. Baranova, Inna A. Chaban, Ludmila V. Kurenina, Ludmila N. Konovalova, Natalia V. Varlamova, Marat R. Khaliluev and Alexander A. Gulevich
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(24), 9480; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21249480 - 13 Dec 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2062
Abstract
Crystal-bearing cells or idioblasts, which deposit calcium oxalate, are located in various tissues and organs of many plant species. The functional significance of their formation is currently unclear. Idioblasts in the leaf parenchyma and the development of crystal-bearing cells in the anther tissues [...] Read more.
Crystal-bearing cells or idioblasts, which deposit calcium oxalate, are located in various tissues and organs of many plant species. The functional significance of their formation is currently unclear. Idioblasts in the leaf parenchyma and the development of crystal-bearing cells in the anther tissues of transgenic tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicon L.), expressing the heterologous FeSOD gene and which showed a decrease in fertility, were studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The amount of calcium oxalate crystals was found to increase significantly in the transgenic plants compared to the wild type (WT) ones in idioblasts and crystal-bearing cells of the upper part of the anther. At the same time, changes in the size and shape of the crystals and their location in anther organs were noted. It seems that the interruption in the break of the anther stomium in transgenic plants was associated with the formation and cell death regulation of a specialized group of crystal-bearing cells. This disturbance caused an increase in the pool of these cells and their localization in the upper part of the anther, where rupture is initiated. Perturbations were also noted in the lower part of the anther in transgenic plants, where the amount of calcium oxalate crystals in crystal-bearing cells was reduced that was accompanied by disturbances in the morphology of pollen grains. Thus, the induction of the formation of crystal-bearing cells and calcium oxalate crystals can have multidirectional effects, contributing to the regulation of oxalate metabolism in the generative and vegetative organs and preventing fertility when the ROS balance changes, in particular, during oxidative stresses accompanying most abiotic and biotic environmental factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

29 pages, 3714 KiB  
Review
Temporal Control of Seed Development in Dicots: Molecular Bases, Ecological Impact and Possible Evolutionary Ramifications
by Yury V. Malovichko, Anton E. Shikov, Anton A. Nizhnikov and Kirill S. Antonets
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9252; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22179252 - 26 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2559
Abstract
In flowering plants, seeds serve as organs of both propagation and dispersal. The developing seed passes through several consecutive stages, following a conserved general outline. The overall time needed for a seed to develop, however, may vary both within and between plant species, [...] Read more.
In flowering plants, seeds serve as organs of both propagation and dispersal. The developing seed passes through several consecutive stages, following a conserved general outline. The overall time needed for a seed to develop, however, may vary both within and between plant species, and these temporal developmental properties remain poorly understood. In the present paper, we summarize the existing data for seed development alterations in dicot plants. For genetic mutations, the reported cases were grouped in respect of the key processes distorted in the mutant specimens. Similar phenotypes arising from the environmental influence, either biotic or abiotic, were also considered. Based on these data, we suggest several general trends of timing alterations and how respective mechanisms might add to the ecological plasticity of the families considered. We also propose that the developmental timing alterations may be perceived as an evolutionary substrate for heterochronic events. Given the current lack of plausible models describing timing control in plant seeds, the presented suggestions might provide certain insights for future studies in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fruit and Seed Development)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop