Figures (2)  Tables (1)
    • Figure 1. 

      Seed development in Arabidopsis and maize. (a) Schematic representation of seed development in Arabidopsis. Stages of embryo development are indicated. After fertilization, the endosperm nucleus undergoes rapid division without formation of cell walls or cytokinesis, resulting in a syncytium. Cellularization is initiated in the micropylar endosperm at the early heart embryo stage and is completed when the embryo reaches the torpedo stage. The cellularized endosperm undergoes a small series of cell proliferation until the central cell cavity is completely filled with cells. Then, the endosperm begins to breakdown, and the seed cavity is replaced by the embryo. (b) Schematic representation of seed development in B73 maize. Stages indicate days after pollination (DAP). After the syncytial endosperm proliferation and cellularization, the cellularized endosperm undergoes endoreduplication (starting at 8–10 DAP), followed by PCD (starting at about 16 DAP). The endosperm occupies the largest part of the mature kernel.

    • Figure 2. 

      Regulation of seed size by early endosperm development. Proliferation of the syncytial endosperm nuclei and the endosperm cells during early endosperm development determines the number of endosperm cells, which plays a fundamental role in the control of seed size. The red lines represent protein-protein interactions. The blue lines represent post-transcriptional regulation. The dashed lines represent unconfirmed relationships in the endosperm or in the Arabidopsis endosperm (relationships between 'AGL62', 'ATHBs', and 'YUCs or TAAs'). Abbreviations: ABA, abscisic acid; BR, brassinolide; CK, cytokinin; GA, gibberellin; PRC2, polycomb repressive complex 2.

    • SpeciesGene nameAccession numberGene productReference(s)
      ArabidopsisABA2AT1G52340Short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase; involved in ABA biosynthesis[35]
      ArabidopsisABI5AT2G36270bZIP transcription factor[34, 35]
      ArabidopsisAGL62AT5G60440MADS-box transcription factor[22, 23, 33,
      40, 43, 44]
      StrawberryFveAGL62FvH4_2g03030MADS-box transcription factor[44]
      FveAGL80FvH4_6g08460
      ArabidopsisAHK2AT5G35750Histidine kinase; cytokinin receptor[62]
      AHK3AT1G27320
      AHK4AT2G01830
      ArabidopsisAHP2AT3G29350Histidine phosphotransfer protein; regulator of cytokinin signaling[63]
      AHP3AT5G39340
      AHP5AT1G03430
      ArabidopsisAIF2AT3G06590Non-DNA-binding bHLH transcription factor[70]
      ArabidopsisARR1AT3G16857Transcription factor; involved in cytokinin signaling[64]
      ARR10AT4G31920
      ARR12AT2G25180
      StrawberryFveATHB29bFvH4_5g17830ATHB subfamily of transcription factor[44]
      FveATHB30FvH4_6g48610
      ArabidopsisAXLAT2G32410Subunit of the RUB1 activating enzyme; involved in auxin signaling[38, 39]
      AXR1AT1G05180
      ArabidopsisBBMAT5G17430AP2/ERF transcription factor[25]
      ArabidopsisBPC1AT2G01930BPC transcription factor[100]
      BPC2AT1G14685
      ArabidopsisBZR1AT1G75080Transcription factor; involved in BR signaling[69]
      ArabidopsisCKI1AT2G47430Histidine kinase without cytokinin perception domain; involved in cytokinin signaling[61]
      ArabidopsisCKX2AT2G19500Cytokinin oxidase; involved in cytokinin homeostasis[27]
      RiceOsEMF2aOs04g08034Polycomb group protein[53, 95]
      ArabidopsisFIEAT3G20740Polycomb group protein[22, 24]
      RiceOsFIE1Os08g04290Polycomb group protein[94]
      RiceOsFIE2Os08g04270Polycomb group protein[90, 91, 93]
      ArabidopsisFIS2AT2G35670Polycomb group protein[24, 40, 43]
      ArabidopsisFUS3AT3G26790B3 domain transcription factor[100]
      ArabidopsisIKU1AT2G35230VQ motif protein[1719, 27]
      ArabidopsisIKU2AT3G19700LRR-RLK[17, 1921, 26, 27]
      MaizeZmIPT2Zm00001d003869Isopentenyl transferase; involved in cytokinin biosynthesis[57, 60]
      ArabidopsisMEAAT1G02580Polycomb group protein[24, 43]
      SoybeanGmMEAGm11G067000Polycomb group protein[26]
      ArabidopsisMINI3AT1G55600WRKY transcription factor[1821, 27]
      ArabidopsisMIR159AAT1G73687microRNA159[31]
      MIR159BAT1G18075
      MIR159CAT2G46255
      MaizeZma-miR169oMI0013202microRNA169o[15]
      ArabidopsisMSI1AT5G58230Polycomb group protein[24]
      RiceMISSENXLOC_057324Long noncoding RNA[32]
      ArabidopsisMYB33AT5G06100MYB transcription factor[31]
      MYB65AT3G11440
      ArabidopsisNAA10AT5G13780Catalytic subunit of Arabidopsis NatA complex[33]
      ArabidopsisNAA15AT1G80410Auxiliary subunit of Arabidopsis NatA complex[33]
      MaizeZmNF-YA13Zm00001d018255Nuclear factor Y, subunit A[15]
      RiceOsNF-YB1Os02g49410Nuclear factor Y, subunit B[46]
      ArabidopsisPHE1AT1G65330MADS-box transcription factor[9699]
      ArabidopsisPLT2AT1G51190AP2/EREBP transcription factor[25]
      ArabidopsisRAN1AT5G20010Ras-related nuclear GTPase[34]
      RAN2AT5G20020
      RAN3AT5G55190
      ArabidopsisRAV1AT1G13260AP2/B3 domain transcription factor[76]
      ArabidopsisSHB1AT4G25350SYG1 family protein; transcription coactivator[2022, 35]
      ArabidopsisTAR1AT1G23320Tryptophan aminotransferase; involved in auxin biosynthesis[38, 39]
      TAR2AT4G24670
      ArabidopsisTFL1AT5G03840Phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein[34]
      ArabidopsisWEI8AT1G70560Tryptophan aminotransferase; involved in auxin biosynthesis[38, 39]
      MaizeZmYUC1Zm00001d023718Flavin monooxygenase; involved in auxin biosynthesis[15, 47]
      RiceOsYUC11Os12g08780Flavin monooxygenase; involved in auxin biosynthesis[46]

      Table 1. 

      Genes involved in seed size control by early endosperm development.