Programmed cell death of the nucellus during Sechium edule Sw. seed development is associated with activation of caspase-like proteases

The nucellus is a maternal tissue that embeds and feeds the developing embryo and secondary endosperm. During seed development, the cells of the nucellus suffer a degenerative process soon after fertilization as the cellular endosperm expands and accumulates reserves. Nucellar cell degeneration has...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental botany 2007-09, Vol.58 (11), p.2949-2958
Main Authors: Lombardi, Lara, Casani, Simone, Ceccarelli, Nello, Galleschi, Luciano, Picciarelli, Piero, Lorenzi, Roberto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Apoptosis
Apoptosis - physiology
Barley
Biological and medical sciences
Caspases - metabolism
Caspases - physiology
Cell biochemistry
Cell death
Cell nucleus
Cell physiology
Cucurbitaceae - cytology
Cucurbitaceae - embryology
Cucurbitaceae - enzymology
DNA
DNA Fragmentation
Endosperm
Enzyme Activation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Integument
nucellus
Peptide Hydrolases - metabolism
Peptide Hydrolases - physiology
Plant cells
Plant physiology and development
Plant Proteins - metabolism
Plant Proteins - physiology
Plants
proteases
Research Papers
Seed development
Seeds - cytology
Seeds - enzymology
Seeds - growth & development
viability
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Summary:The nucellus is a maternal tissue that embeds and feeds the developing embryo and secondary endosperm. During seed development, the cells of the nucellus suffer a degenerative process soon after fertilization as the cellular endosperm expands and accumulates reserves. Nucellar cell degeneration has been considered to be a form of developmentally programmed cell death (PCD). It was investigated whether or not this degenerative process is characterized by apoptotic hallmarks. Evidence showed that cell death is mostly localized in the border region of the tissue adjacent to the expanding endosperm. Cell death is accompanied by profound changes in the morphology of the nuclei and by a huge degradation of nuclear DNA. Moreover, an increase of activity of different classes of proteinases is reported, and the induction of caspase-like proteases sensitive to specific inhibitors was detected. Nucellar caspase-like proteases are characterized by an acid pH optimum suggesting a possible localization in the vacuole.
ISSN:0022-0957
1460-2431
DOI:10.1093/jxb/erm137