Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2013, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (4): 371-380.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1259.2013.00371

Special Issue: 创刊30年特邀综述 (2013年48卷)

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Role of Auxin in Early Embryogenesis of Plants

Lizhen Song1,2, Yi Wang2, Qinghua Yang1*, Youfa Cheng2*   

  1. 1Agronomy College of Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China;

    2Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
  • Received:2012-12-07 Revised:2013-02-25 Online:2013-07-01 Published:2013-08-09
  • Contact: Qinghua Yang,Youfa Cheng

Abstract: A hallmark of flowering plants is sexual reproduction, with the embryo a key player. In double fertilization, the zygote (fertilized egg) first establishes its apical-basal polarity within the single cell. With cell division and differentiation, the proembryo forms a apical-basal axis and develops through pattern formation and organogenesis. Recent advances have shown that the whole process of embryogenesis is regulated by auxin at levels of biosynthesis, polar transport and signal transduction. In this review, we highlight our current understanding, mainly from studies in Arabidopsis, of the molecular mechanisms by which auxin controls embryogenesis. These mechanisms include the establishment of polarity of zygotes, apical-basal axis of embryos, differentiation of protoderm, transition of radial symmetry to bilateral symmetry, formation of hypophysis, shoot apical meristem and root apical meristem. In addition, we briefly introduce the embryogenesis process not regulated by auxin.