AUTHOR=Lu Changqing , Yu Feng , Tian Lianfu , Huang Xiaoying , Tan Hong , Xie Zijing , Hao Xiaohua , Li Dongping , Luan Sheng , Chen Liangbi TITLE=RPS9M, a Mitochondrial Ribosomal Protein, Is Essential for Central Cell Maturation and Endosperm Development in Arabidopsis JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science VOLUME=8 YEAR=2017 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2017.02171 DOI=10.3389/fpls.2017.02171 ISSN=1664-462X ABSTRACT=
During double fertilization of angiosperms, the central cell of the female gametophyte fuses with a sperm cell to produce the endosperm, a storage tissue that nourishes the developing embryo within the seed. Although many genetic mutants defective in female gametophytic functions have been characterized, the molecular mechanisms controlling the specification and differentiation of the central cell are still not fully understood. Here, we report a mitochondrial ribosomal protein, RPS9M, is required for central cell maturation. RPS9M was highly expressed in the male and female gametophytes before and after double fertilization. The female gametophytes were defective in the