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The genetic and molecular basis of gametogenesis and maternal effects in arabidopsis

English title The genetic and molecular basis of gametogenesis and maternal effects in arabidopsis
Applicant Grossniklaus Ueli
Number 126006
Funding scheme Project funding
Research institution Institut für Pflanzen- und Mikrobiologie Universität Zürich
Institution of higher education University of Zurich - ZH
Main discipline Embryology, Developmental Biology
Start/End 01.04.2009 - 30.04.2012
Approved amount 755'000.00
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Keywords (6)

gametophyte; fertilization; maternal effects; genomic imprinting; arabidopsis; epigenetics

Lay Summary (English)

Lead
Lay summary
Gametogenesis and the maternal control of embryogenesis have been studied extensively in animal systems at the genetic, molecular, and cellular level. These studies have yielded insights into fundamental molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment and interpretation of positional information, cell-cell interactions, signal transduction processes, and the control of cell proliferation. In contrast, very little is known about the genetic and molecular control of these processes in plants. Unlike in animals, where meiotic products differentiate directly into gametes, the haploid spores of plants form multicellular organisms (gametophytes), which in turn produce the gametes. The simple but highly polar and specialized structure of the female gametophyte make it an ideal system to study the role of positional information and signaling in development. This project focuses on an elucidation of key events in the sexual reproduction of plants. Over the last years we have concentrated on the identification and characterisation of mutants and genes that are required for female gametogenesis, and on the maternal control of seed development in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In this project, we use a combination of genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches, focussing on two related areas: A) To elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms that control female gametophyte development, with specific attention to cell specification and fertilization, by1) molecularly characterizing WYRD, a gene affecting cell specification that was cloned through positional methods 2) investigating developmental dynamics of cell specification based on microgenomics, regulatory network analysis, and reverse genetic approaches3) characterizing novel components of the FERONIA signaling pathway, identified using genetic or molecular approachesB) To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of genomic imprinting at the MEA locus and the function of MEA at fertilization, by1) identifying novel factors regulating imprinting at the MEA locus in a targeted genetic screen2) molecularly isolating an activator of MEA that was characterized at the genetic level3) biochemically characterizing the function of MEA at fertilization, which is independent of the other components of the FIS-PRC2 complex These studies will yield insights into fundamental questions that transcend plant biology: How are cell types specified at the molecular level? To what extent is cell-cell signaling involved in cell specification and fertilization? What is the molecular basis of genomic imprinting, which occurs only in mammals and seed plants? While some of the investigated processes are conserved between animals and plants, others are likely to be specific, such that the mechanisms can be compared and contrasted to gain new insights into fundamental developmental concepts.
Direct link to Lay Summary Last update: 21.02.2013

Responsible applicant and co-applicants

Employees

Publications

Publication
A powerful method for transcriptional profiling of specific cell types in eukaryotes: laser-assisted microdissection and RNA sequencing.
Schmid Marc W, Schmidt Anja, Klostermeier Ulrich C, Barann Matthias, Rosenstiel Philip, Grossniklaus Ueli, A powerful method for transcriptional profiling of specific cell types in eukaryotes: laser-assisted microdissection and RNA sequencing., in PloS one, 7(1), 29685-29685.
Analysis of plant germline development by high-throughput RNA profiling: technical advances and new insights.
Schmidt Anja, Schmid Marc W, Grossniklaus Ueli, Analysis of plant germline development by high-throughput RNA profiling: technical advances and new insights., in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 70(1), 18-29.
Arabidopsis female gametophyte gene expression map reveals similarities between plant and animal gametes.
Wuest Samuel E, Vijverberg Kitty, Schmidt Anja, Weiss Manuel, Gheyselinck Jacqueline, Lohr Miriam, Wellmer Frank, Rahnenführer Jörg, von Mering Christian, Grossniklaus Ueli, Arabidopsis female gametophyte gene expression map reveals similarities between plant and animal gametes., in Current biology : CB, 20(6), 506-12.
Chromatin immunoprecipitation protocol for histone modifications and protein-DNA binding analyses in Arabidopsis.
Pien Stéphane, Grossniklaus Ueli, Chromatin immunoprecipitation protocol for histone modifications and protein-DNA binding analyses in Arabidopsis., in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 631, 209-20.
Conserved molecular components for pollen tube reception and fungal invasion.
Kessler Sharon A, Shimosato-Asano Hiroko, Keinath Nana F, Wuest Samuel E, Ingram Gwyneth, Panstruga Ralph, Grossniklaus Ueli, Conserved molecular components for pollen tube reception and fungal invasion., in Science (New York, N.Y.), 330(6006), 968-71.
Disruption of the pollen-expressed FERONIA homologs ANXUR1 and ANXUR2 triggers pollen tube discharge.
Boisson-Dernier Aurélien, Roy Sucharita, Kritsas Konstantinos, Grobei Monica A, Jaciubek Miloslawa, Schroeder Julian I, Grossniklaus Ueli, Disruption of the pollen-expressed FERONIA homologs ANXUR1 and ANXUR2 triggers pollen tube discharge., in Development (Cambridge, England), 136(19), 3279-88.
Dosage-sensitive function of retinoblastoma related and convergent epigenetic control are required during the Arabidopsis life cycle.
Johnston Amal J, Kirioukhova Olga, Barrell Philippa J, Rutten Twan, Moore James M, Baskar Ramamurthy, Grossniklaus Ueli, Gruissem Wilhelm, Dosage-sensitive function of retinoblastoma related and convergent epigenetic control are required during the Arabidopsis life cycle., in PLoS genetics, 6(6), 1000988-1000988.
Epigenetic regulation and reprogramming during gamete formation in plants.
Baroux Célia, Raissig Michael T, Grossniklaus Ueli, Epigenetic regulation and reprogramming during gamete formation in plants., in Current opinion in genetics & development, 21(2), 124-33.
Female gametophytic cell specification and seed development require the function of the putative Arabidopsis INCENP ortholog WYRD.
Kirioukhova Olga, Johnston Amal J, Kleen Daniela, Kägi Christina, Baskar Ramamurthy, Moore James M, Bäumlein Helmut, Gross-Hardt Rita, Grossniklaus Ueli, Female gametophytic cell specification and seed development require the function of the putative Arabidopsis INCENP ortholog WYRD., in Development (Cambridge, England), 138(16), 3409-20.
Female gametophytic mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana identified in a gene trap insertional mutagenesis screen.
Brukhin Vladimir B, Jaciubek Miloslawa, Bolaños Carpio Arturo, Kuzmina Vera, Grossniklaus Ueli, Female gametophytic mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana identified in a gene trap insertional mutagenesis screen., in The International journal of developmental biology, 55(1), 73-84.
Identification of a DNA methylation-independent imprinting control region at the Arabidopsis MEDEA locus.
Wöhrmann Heike J P, Gagliardini Valeria, Raissig Michael T, Wehrle Wendelin, Arand Julia, Schmidt Anja, Tierling Sascha, Page Damian R, Schöb Hanspeter, Walter Jörn, Grossniklaus Ueli, Identification of a DNA methylation-independent imprinting control region at the Arabidopsis MEDEA locus., in Genes & development, 26(16), 1837-50.
Intronic regulatory elements determine the divergent expression patterns of AGAMOUS-LIKE6 subfamily members in Arabidopsis.
Schauer Stephen E, Schlüter Philipp M, Baskar Ramarmurthy, Gheyselinck Jacqueline, Bolaños Arturo, Curtis Mark D, Grossniklaus Ueli, Intronic regulatory elements determine the divergent expression patterns of AGAMOUS-LIKE6 subfamily members in Arabidopsis., in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 59(6), 987-1000.
Maternal epigenetic pathways control parental contributions to Arabidopsis early embryogenesis.
Autran Daphné, Baroux Célia, Raissig Michael T, Lenormand Thomas, Wittig Michael, Grob Stefan, Steimer Andrea, Barann Matthias, Klostermeier Ulrich C, Leblanc Olivier, Vielle-Calzada Jean-Philippe, Rosenstiel Phillip, Grimanelli Daniel, Grossniklaus Ueli, Maternal epigenetic pathways control parental contributions to Arabidopsis early embryogenesis., in Cell, 145(5), 707-19.
Members of the RKD transcription factor family induce an egg cell-like gene expression program.
Koszegi Dávid, Johnston Amal J, Rutten Twan, Czihal Andreas, Altschmied Lothar, Kumlehn Jochen, Wüst Samuel E J, Kirioukhova Olga, Gheyselinck Jacqueline, Grossniklaus Ueli, Bäumlein Helmut, Members of the RKD transcription factor family induce an egg cell-like gene expression program., in The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 67(2), 280-91.
PAMP (pathogen-associated molecular pattern)-induced changes in plasma membrane compartmentalization reveal novel components of plant immunity.
Keinath Nana F, Kierszniowska Sylwia, Lorek Justine, Bourdais Gildas, Kessler Sharon A, Shimosato-Asano Hiroko, Grossniklaus Ueli, Schulze Waltraud X, Robatzek Silke, Panstruga Ralph, PAMP (pathogen-associated molecular pattern)-induced changes in plasma membrane compartmentalization reveal novel components of plant immunity., in The Journal of biological chemistry, 285(50), 39140-9.
Plant germline development: a tale of cross-talk, signaling, and cellular interactions.
Grossniklaus Ueli, Plant germline development: a tale of cross-talk, signaling, and cellular interactions., in Sexual plant reproduction, 24(2), 91-5.
Plant science. Paternal patterning cue.
Grossniklaus Ueli, Plant science. Paternal patterning cue., in Science (New York, N.Y.), 323(5920), 1439-40.
Regulation and flexibility of genomic imprinting during seed development.
Raissig Michael T, Baroux Célia, Grossniklaus Ueli, Regulation and flexibility of genomic imprinting during seed development., in The Plant cell, 23(1), 16-26.
Selected aspects of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and resetting in plants.
Paszkowski Jerzy, Grossniklaus Ueli, Selected aspects of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance and resetting in plants., in Current opinion in plant biology, 14(2), 195-203.
She's the boss: signaling in pollen tube reception.
Kessler Sharon A, Grossniklaus Ueli, She's the boss: signaling in pollen tube reception., in Current opinion in plant biology, 14(5), 622-7.
SNP-Ratio Mapping (SRM): identifying lethal alleles and mutations in complex genetic backgrounds by next-generation sequencing.
Lindner Heike, Raissig Michael T, Sailer Christian, Shimosato-Asano Hiroko, Bruggmann Rémy, Grossniklaus Ueli, SNP-Ratio Mapping (SRM): identifying lethal alleles and mutations in complex genetic backgrounds by next-generation sequencing., in Genetics, 191(4), 1381-6.
Tackling drought stress: receptor-like kinases present new approaches.
Marshall Alex, Aalen Reidunn B, Audenaert Dominique, Beeckman Tom, Broadley Martin R, Butenko Melinka A, Caño-Delgado Ana I, de Vries Sacco, Dresselhaus Thomas, Felix Georg, Graham Neil S, Foulkes John, Granier Christine, Greb Thomas, Grossniklaus Ueli, Hammond John P, Heidstra Renze, Hodgman Charlie, Hothorn Michael, Inzé Dirk, Ostergaard Lars, Russinova Eugenia, Simon Rüdiger, Skirycz Aleksandra, Stahl Yvonne, Tackling drought stress: receptor-like kinases present new approaches., in The Plant cell, 24(6), 2262-78.
The Arabidopsis CUL4-DDB1 complex interacts with MSI1 and is required to maintain MEDEA parental imprinting.
Dumbliauskas Eva, Lechner Esther, Jaciubek Miłosława, Berr Alexandre, Pazhouhandeh Maghsoud, Alioua Malek, Cognat Valerie, Brukhin Vladimir, Koncz Csaba, Grossniklaus Ueli, Molinier Jean, Genschik Pascal, The Arabidopsis CUL4-DDB1 complex interacts with MSI1 and is required to maintain MEDEA parental imprinting., in The EMBO journal, 30(4), 731-43.
The maternal to zygotic transition in animals and plants.
Baroux C, Autran D, Gillmor C S, Grimanelli D, Grossniklaus U, The maternal to zygotic transition in animals and plants., in Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology, 73, 89-100.
The walls have ears: the role of plant CrRLK1Ls in sensing and transducing extracellular signals.
Boisson-Dernier Aurélien, Kessler Sharon A, Grossniklaus Ueli, The walls have ears: the role of plant CrRLK1Ls in sensing and transducing extracellular signals., in Journal of experimental botany, 62(5), 1581-91.
Transcriptome analysis of the Arabidopsis megaspore mother cell uncovers the importance of RNA helicases for plant germline development.
Schmidt Anja, Wuest Samuel E, Vijverberg Kitty, Baroux Célia, Kleen Daniela, Grossniklaus Ueli, Transcriptome analysis of the Arabidopsis megaspore mother cell uncovers the importance of RNA helicases for plant germline development., in PLoS biology, 9(9), 1001155-1001155.
TRAUCO, a Trithorax-group gene homologue, is required for early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Aquea Felipe, Johnston Amal J, Cañon Paola, Grossniklaus Ueli, Arce-Johnson Patricio, TRAUCO, a Trithorax-group gene homologue, is required for early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana., in Journal of experimental botany, 61(4), 1215-24.

Associated projects

Number Title Start Funding scheme
133863 Live Cell Imaging to study dynamic developmental processes and protein-protein intertactions in planta 01.12.2011 R'EQUIP
112489 The genetic and molecular basis of gametogenesis and maternal effects in arabidopsis 01.05.2006 Project funding
141245 The Genetic and Molecular Basis of Gametogenesis and Maternal Effects in Arabidopsis 01.05.2012 Project funding
137058 Plant Reproductive Isolation: from Mechanisms to Evolution 01.01.2012 ProDoc

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