Establishment of a reproducible tissue culture system for the induction of Arabidopsis somatic embryos

J Exp Bot. 2002 Jul;53(374):1575-80. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erf006.

Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis is an example of totipotency and is used as a model system for studying embryogenesis. A reproducible tissue culture system was established for the large-scale induction of Arabidopsis somatic embryos. The method allows maintenance of high embryogenic competence over a one-year period. Using this tissue culture system, the expression of embryo-specific genes (ABI3, LEC1, FUS3) was detected in embryogenic cells and somatic embryos. Exogenous application of abscisic acid enhanced the expression of some late-embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) protein genes in somatic embryos. The experiments show that the method can be used to obtain sufficient amounts of embryogenic material for basic molecular analyses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abscisic Acid / pharmacology
  • Arabidopsis / chemistry
  • Arabidopsis / embryology*
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins*
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Culture Techniques / methods*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Plant Proteins / drug effects
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • RNA, Plant / metabolism
  • Seeds / embryology*
  • Seeds / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • ABI3 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins
  • LEC1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Plant Proteins
  • RNA, Plant
  • Transcription Factors
  • late embryogenesis abundant protein, plant
  • Abscisic Acid