Abstract
Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a powerful tool for plant genetic improvement when used in combination with traditional agricultural techniques, and it is also an important technique to understand the different processes that occur during the development of plant embryogenesis. SE onset depends on a complex network of interactions among plant growth regulators, mainly auxins and cytokinins, during the proembryogenic early stages, and ethylene and gibberellic and abscisic acids later in the development of the somatic embryos. These growth regulators control spatial and temporal regulation of multiple genes in order to initiate change in the genetic program of somatic cells, as well as moderating the transition between embryo developmental stages. In recent years, epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as critical factors during SE. Some early reports indicate that auxins and in vitro conditions modify the levels of DNA methylation in embryogenic cells. The changes in DNA methylation patterns are associated with the regulation of several genes involved in SE, such as WUS, BBM1, LEC, and several others. In this review, we highlight the more recent discoveries in the understanding of the role of epigenetic regulation of SE. In addition, we include a survey of different approaches to the study of SE, and new opportunities to focus SE studies.
Highlights
Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a powerful tool for plant genetic improvement when it is used in combination with traditional agricultural techniques (Loyola-Vargas et al, 2008)
The bisulfite method has become the basis for other methods, such as methylation-sensitive single nucleotide primer extension (Ms-SNuPE), combined bisulfite restriction analysis (COBRA), methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and others that would be interesting to apply during the transition of somatic cells into embryogenic ones
Since the lowest level of DNA methylation is always found in the embryogenic cells (Palmgren et al, 1991), it is possible that DNA hypomethylation is involved in the signal that leads to the induction of SE
Summary
SE onset depends on a complex network of interactions among plant growth regulators, mainly auxins and cytokinins, during the proembryogenic early stages, and ethylene and gibberellic and abscisic acids later in the development of the somatic embryos. These growth regulators control spatial and temporal regulation of multiple genes in order to initiate change in the genetic program of somatic cells, as well as moderating the transition between embryo developmental stages. We highlight the more recent discoveries in the understanding of the role of epigenetic regulation of SE.
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