Autophagy-mediated degradation of integumentary tapetum is critical for embryo pattern formation

• Published in: Nature communications 2024-03, Vol.15 (1), p.2676-2676, Article 2676
• Main Authors: Zhao, Lin-lin, Chen, Ru, Bai, Ziyu, Liu, Junyi, Zhang, Yuhao, Zhong, Yicheng, Sun, Meng-xiang, Zhao, Peng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 14/19; 14/28; 14/34; 14/63; 38/91; 631/449/2653; 631/449/2679/2682; 631/449/448; 631/80/39; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - physiology; Autophagy; Autophagy - genetics; Biosynthesis; Cell death; Degradation; Developmental stages; Embryos; Endosperm; Fertility; Fertilization; Flowers; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lipid metabolism; Lipids; Males; Metabolism; multidisciplinary; Pattern formation; Patterning; Pollen - metabolism; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Seed coats; Seeds; Skin; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - metabolism; Viability
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46902-8

Autophagy modulates the degradation and recycling of intracellular materials and contributes to male gametophyte development and male fertility in plants. However, whether autophagy participates in seed development remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that autophagy is crucial for timely programmed cell death (PCD) in the integumentary tapetum, the counterpart of anther tapetum, influencing embryo pattern formation and seed viability. Inhibition of autophagy resulted in delayed PCD of the integumentary tapetum and defects in embryo patterning. Cell-type-specific restoration of autophagic activities revealed that the integumentary tapetum plays a non-autonomous role in embryo patterning. Furthermore, high-throughput, comprehensive lipidomic analyzes uncovered an unexpected seed-developmental-stage-dependent role of autophagy in seed lipid metabolism: it contributes to triacylglycerol degradation before fertilization and to triacylglycerol biosynthesis after fertilization. This study highlights the critical role of autophagy in regulating timely integumentary tapetum PCD and reveals its significance in seed lipid metabolism and viability. A seed consists of an embryo, endosperm, and seed coat. Here the authors show that autophagy plays a crucial role in regulating timely programmed cell death in the innermost seed coat, thereby influencing embryo pattern formation and seed viability.