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      Mutations in FIE, a WD Polycomb Group Gene, Allow Endosperm Development without Fertilization

      , , , , , , ,
      The Plant Cell
      JSTOR

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          Abstract

          A fundamental problem in biology is to understand how fertilization initiates reproductive development. Higher plant reproduction is unique because two fertilization events are required for sexual reproduction. First, a sperm must fuse with the egg to form an embryo. A second sperm must then fuse with the adjacent central cell nucleus that replicates to form an endosperm, which is the support tissue required for embryo and/or seedling development. Here, we report cloning of the Arabidopsis FERTILIZATION-INDEPENDENT ENDOSPERM (FIE) gene. The FIE protein is a homolog of the WD motif-containing Polycomb proteins from Drosophila and mammals. These proteins function as repressors of homeotic genes. A female gametophyte with a loss-of-function allele of fie undergoes replication of the central cell nucleus and initiates endosperm development without fertilization. These results suggest that the FIE Polycomb protein functions to suppress a critical aspect of early plant reproduction, namely, endosperm development, until fertilization occurs.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          The Plant Cell
          The Plant Cell
          JSTOR
          10404651
          March 1999
          March 1999
          : 11
          : 3
          : 407
          Article
          10.2307/3870869
          144179
          10072400
          05d90c0c-f92a-4810-bfdf-870edbf53181
          © 1999
          History

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