CAJ | 학술논문

Basal endosperm transfer layer (BETL) cel s are responsible for transferring apoplastic solutes from the maternal pedicel into the endosperm, supplying the grain with compounds required for embryo development and storage reserve accumulation. Here, we analyze the maize (Zea mays L.) empty pericarp6 (emp6) mutant, which causes early arrest in grain development. The Emp6tgene function is required independently in both the embryo and endo-sperm. The emp6 mutant causes a notable effect on the differentiation of BETL cel s; the extensive cel wal ingrowths that distinguish BETL cel s are diminished and BETL marker gene expression is compromised in mutant kernels. Transposon tagging identified the emp6 locus as encoding a putative plant organel e RNA recognition (PORR) protein, 1 of 15 PORR family members in maize. The emp6 transcript is widely detected in plant tissues with highest levels in embryos and developing kernels. EMP6‐green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves were targeted specifical y to mitochondria. These results suggest that BETL cel differentia-tion might be particularly energy intensive, or alternatively, that mitochondria might confer a developmental function.