Site-specific phosphorylation of TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 mediates carbon partitioning in Arabidopsis seeds

Seed development is dependent on nutrients, such as a source of carbon, supplied by the parent plant. It remains largely unknown how these nutrients are distributed to zygotic and maternal tissues to coordinate storage of reserve compounds and development of protective tissues like seed coat. Here we show that phosphorylation of TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1) is regulated by SHAGGY-like kinases 11/12 (SK11/12) and that this mediates carbon flow to fatty acid synthesis and seed coat traits in Arabidopsis seeds. SK11/12 phosphorylate TTG1 at serine 215, thus preventing TTG1 interaction with TRANSPARENT TESTA2. This compromises recruitment of TTG1 to the GLABRA2 locus and downregulates GLABRA2 expression, which enhances biosynthesis of fatty acids in the embryo, but reduces production of mucilage and flavonoid pigments in the seed coat. Therefore, site-specific phosphorylation of TTG1 by SK11/SK12 regulates carbon partitioning between zygotic and maternal sinks in seeds.