The genetic mechanisms regulating dry fruit development and opercular dehiscence have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. In the bicarpellate silique, valve elongation and differentiation is controlled by FRUITFULL (FUL) that antagonizes SHATTERPROOF1-2 (SHP1/SHP2) and INDEHISCENT (IND) at the dehiscence zone where they control normal lignification. SHP1/2 are also repressed by REPLUMLESS ...

We previously showed that trehalose-6-phosphate synthase 1 (TPS1), which catalyses the first step in trehalose synthesis, is essential for embryo maturation in Arabidopsis. The tps1 mutant embryos develop more slowly than wild type. Patterning in the tps1 embryos appears normal but they do not progress past the torpedo stage to cotyledon stage, which is when storage reserves start to accumulate...

Reduction in pod shattering represents a key component of the domestication syndrome in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and makes this domesticate dependent upon the farmer for seed dispersal. Attempts to elucidate the genetic control of this process have led to the identification of a major gene (St) linked to the presence/absence of pod suture fibers affecting pod shattering. Although St has...

Biofortification of foods, achieved by increasing the concentrations of minerals such as iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), is a goal of plant scientists. Understanding genes that influence seed mineral concentration in a model plant such as Arabidopsis could help in the development of nutritionally enhanced crop cultivars. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for seed concentrations of calcium (Ca), c...

Nitrogen (N) remobilization from reserves to sinks is essential for seedling establishment and seed production. Cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1) is up-regulated during both seed germination and seed filling in plants. However, the specific roles of the individual GS1 isogenes with respect to N remobilization, early seedling vigour, and final seed productivity are not known. In this study, i...

Intracellular Na(+)/H(+) (NHX) antiporters have important roles in cellular pH and Na(+), K(+) homeostasis. The six Arabidopsis thaliana intracellular NHX members are divided into two groups, endosomal (NHX5 and NHX6) and vacuolar (NHX1 to NHX4). Of the vacuolar members, NHX1 has been characterized functionally, but the remaining members have largely unknown roles. Using reverse genetics, we sh...

Fruits exhibit a vast array of different 3D shapes, from simple spheres and cylinders to more complex curved forms; however, the mechanism by which growth is oriented and coordinated to generate this diversity of forms is unclear. Here, we compare the growth patterns and orientations for two very different fruit shapes in the Brassicaceae: the heart-shaped Capsella rubella silicle and the near-...

Hormone patterns tailor cell fate decisions during plant organ formation. Among them, auxins and cytokinins are critical phytohormones early development. Nitric oxide (NO) modulates root architecture by the control of auxin spatial patterns. However, NO involvement coordination shoot organogenesis remains unclear. Here, we explore effect development using a phenotypic, cellular, genetic analysi...